JULY FAVORITES

Stars, stripes, and lots of edge defined this July. Not only was July awesome because it's the Lala's birthday month (trust me, it was chock full of pineapples and flamingos), but I also got to do pretty cool things like write some more pieces for Miss Olivia Palermo and meet some bomb people, all while hanging out on NYC rooftops and steamy chaotic streets. It's been the best summer so far, and I can't wait for it to continue! Without further ado, here are some products I've been loving this month, as well as a string of clips!

Beauty 

01. Colourpop Nillionaire Shadow- Um, bang, bang, much? Earlier this month, the Lala did a sweet Instagram giveaway with our good friends at Colourpop, so I was lucky enough to try on some swatches and score some free makeup. I picked out this shadow from the site because of it's sweet iridescence and crazy pigmentation. This stuff is GORGEOUS. Not only is the packaging cool as well, the product is pretty bomb. And guess what? It's soooo affordable for really well-formulated substance. Well done, Colourpop. 

02. Urban Decay Smoky- Yes, yes, I couldn't resist. Ironically as the fashion blogger, I was the last of my roommates to pick this baby out (shoutout for my beauty craziness rubbing off on them), but am I happy I did when I did. I'm obsessed with this palette! I love the mix of shimmer and matte, its pretty cool toned which is totally contrastive to the UDNaked 3, which I love. UD is mixing it up, in a really good way. Stand out shades I love: High, Armor, Smolder, Password, Thirteen.  

03. Mac Shroom- An oldie but goodie!!! #TBT to the old makeup days when this was one of the only shadows in my collection (a POTTED shadow, Alanna, really?!). Shroom is the perfect highlight if you're looking for something slightly shimmery compared to Mac's Brulé. I would most certainly recommend this in a starter kit, and I really love going back to it every so often. 

04. Mac Viva Glam V- Another oldie but goodie!! My darling cousin Joanna uses this lipstick like 24/7, (yes, I introduced her to it..) and I noticed her wearing it pretty often this month so I decided to go ahead and start wearing it again myself. It's the perfect light shimmery nude for summer, and it looks even more beautiful (if that's even possible..) with the Mac Viva Glam V gloss on top. It'll always be one of my favorite lip combos, EVER.

05. Colourpop Brink & Topanga- I also branched out into trying some of Colourpop's lippie stix this month, and let me say, I am IMPRESSED! I love these two nudes: they're both alternative versions to what I would call the Kylie Jenner lip. Brink is a bit more brown based and Topanga is a bit more orange based, and they are both matte shades, which is super gorgeous. Looking to gain that plumped lip without breaking the bank? Look into these. Trust me.

Miscellaneous 

06. Essie Licorice- Yassssss. I realize it's been like years since I've included a nail polish color in my favorites (mainly because I tend to wear black, dark burgundy or white nail polish 90% of the time). Licorice is one of my favorite blacks, and I love it for summer. I find Essie's darker polishes sometimes lighter then OPI's, so I tend to always shoot for Essie in the Summer and OPI in the colder months. 

07. Bumble+Bumble Surf Spray- I've briefly mentioned this before in my favorites, but this surf spray is THE BOMB. I got this a while back at a CCO (so I got it discounted, yaaas), and I love it for the summer time when I don't feel like blow-drying my hair. My favorite way to use this is to let my hair air dry in a braid and then take it out and spray this throughout. LOVE.

08. Topshop Black Beaded Coin Choker- OMG you guys, (wow I sounded like Miss Lindz there, lol) I DIG this choker. I'm loving the beaded choker look, so I picked this up for the Lala birthday party but I couldn't stop wearing it since the second I got it. Gold, silver, and black beads: the perfect way to edge up any outfit. 

09. DVF Pumps- So you know that moment when your best friend surprises you at a party with a pair of brand-spankin' new DVF pumps?!! No? Well then Miss Lindsey should be your best friend. JK. She can't cause she's mine. LOL kidding.... but seriously, Miss Lindz who has been working for Miss Diane herself got me these gorgeous shoes and I am OBSESSED. These are perfect for summer/fall transition, and I will probably not be able to stop wearing them. Did I mention they're comfortable too? Yep. DYING.

And finally, LOOKBOOK + CLIPS FROM THIS MONTH

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves"

[Julius Caesar 1.2]

EXCITING THINGS TO COME LOVES!

Cheers, xo

ANTITHESIS

What a surprise- yet another combo of my two favorite colors: black and white. Playing with contrast (as per usual), I not only mixed up some color but I mixed up some texture with this look. White jeans are often hard to pair with different colors, so I like to stick them with neutrals most of the time (aged whites, beiges, dark earthy tones, blacks). This way, they will never look overwhelming (which they often do if you pair them with bright colors). White jeans also do really well with contrasting textiles. The sheer lace factor of this top really brings out the crispness of the white skinny, and ultimately gives off a pretty sophisticated look that is certainly appropriate for extremely hot weather. 

I balanced out the starkness of color with a warmer tone in this leather bag. Best part? The mixture of these colors and tones actually give the illusion that I'm a lot tanner than I actually am. I finished this off with my pointy black flats, because I obviously wouldn't have it any other way.

♕ Photos by Lindsey Marie♕ 

"Conscience is but a word that cowards use, 

devised at first to keep the strong in awe"

[Richard III 5.3]

Cheers, xo

HAMMURABI

Eye for an eye, you say? Only when adorable pocket tees are involved! Inspired by the ancient (yes, and very deadly but fascinating) code, I wanted to mix up summer business casual with kickass modern lines. 

First, let's start off with this Brandy Melville tee. Crisp and white, it's offset by this adorable black printed pocket. If you ask me, pocket tees are one of the most clever wardrobe pieces you can invest in. Not only do they jazz up a simple look (you don't even have to try!!!), they're UBER convenient and extremely versatile. No matter what style you have, pocket tees are your friend always- dress them up with a maxi skirt or down with a pair of harem pants. Easy. Done. This one had this really cool drawn-on eye print. Who knew eyeballs could be so cute?  

To give the outfit little texture, I thought it would be fun to add these leather shorts from Urban Outfitters. Note: these shorts were probably one of the best purchases I've ever made. They go with absolutely anything, and they add a lot of structure for being a 24 inch piece of fabric. The zipper detail at the front also adds some nice symmetry and design. 

Finally, I threw on my favorite Volcom hat and these adorable Steve Madden Buhba's. They not only give me height, they also balance out the weight of the hat and the baggy-ness of my tee. At last, I added my Colourpop Lippie Stix in Pasties for that final pow. A killer and super different summer look that's absolutely effortless.

♕ Photos by Molly Longest ♕

"By my soul I swear, there is no power in the tongue of man to alter me."

[Merchant of Venice 4.1]

Cheers, xoxo

CAGED

As I started July off dressed up, I thought I'd balance it out and dress down a bit for my next post. The good news is I'm loving this white brick wall I stumbled upon. The better news is that it's closer to where I live it at home, and an optimal spot for blog photos when I'm out of the city (I mean, who doesn't love grungy white brick? it's likeeee really in right now, after all!) 

I started this look off with one of my favorite new pieces in my closet, this is the Brandy Melville Suzanne tank. The lighting is fooling you in these photos, because it actually is a deep grey despite the fact that it looks pretty black in these photos. I'm literally obsessed with the cut of this top, but my only complaint it's a super super crop (even for me cause I'm rather tiny). That's why it was pretty vital to pair this with a very high waisted short, pant, or skirt. I wanted to play off the starkness of the deep grey with a little light wash denim, so I decided to go this with these adorable shorts I got at Urban a few years ago. To finish it off simply, I added my Marc Jacobs Ligero and black ankle sandals I purchased in Rome. This is literally probably the most simplistic I'll get with summer clothing, so it's pretty awesome that this top does wonders with it's caged effect.

"I like not fair terms and a villain's mind"

[The Merchant of Venice 1.3]

Cheers, xoxox

GRADY GIRLS

There's a brilliant moment in King's The Shining, (movie version), where little Danny Torrence rounds a corner on his tricycle at the Overlook Hotel, and runs into the Grady Girls (yes, that's the name of the these two creepy little girls with matching blue dresses and bows). Such a gruesomely exquisite scene, the movie flashes back and forth between them dead and alive (butchered by their father, at that). Yeah, it's extremely grotesque, of course, but there's something about it that's just: hauntingly beautiful. (Or maybe I just think this because I watch too many horror films, but whatever).

Either way, this notion of "hauntingly beautiful" was the look I was going for with this super 1920's ensemble. And I have to say, I don't think I would've remotely achieved it without this BANGING dress from Free People. Flapper style, this dress is layered matte sequins and fringe in gorgeous contrasting V-shapes. This is the perfect dress for accentuating all the right places, because it gives the illusion of consistent shape. The cream-champagne color scheme is absolutely brilliant with a bronzey-tan, and is just glorious for any ritzy summer occasion. Next, these SHOES! "Oh my SCHUTZ." "Oh SCHUTZ, these are cool." "How SCHUTZ-ing cute are these?"Alright, I'll stop with the SCHUTZ puns, I just couldn't resist. These babies are the Cadey-Lee in Nude Oyster Suede and boy am I in love.  They're perfect for just about any occasion in the summer where you want a little strappy heel. And guess what? They're super comfortable. Yep, go buy them, now.

Finally, I decided to add the products I used in this makeup look because I think it really completes the entire outfit::

Thanks for the creepy/ hauntingly beautiful inspiration, Grady Girls.

"Double double toil in trouble...."

[Macbeth 4.1]

Cheers, xoxoxo