STYLE + BEAUTY + AMBITION OF THE MODERN WOMAN
Mad Men from day one, I cannot express the happiness Sunday’s episode The Strategy brought me – and probably every other longtime fan out there. I always tell people what sets Mad Men apart is that each episode is not an episode, but rather a visual essay. There’s always a point that’s so perfectly driven home through the lives of these characters in the workplace and their personal lives. Sunday’s episode touched heavily on the breakdown of the traditional American family…and the birth of a new family unit. And, oh no, that family isn’t a family sitting, smiling at each other around the dinner table notes Peggy. The new family is in fact unrelated people brought together by relating to something else.
And there’s also a new family table, and it looks like this:
And I knowwww these posts aren’t supposed to be about the show in particular, but it’s oh so beautiful the arch Pete, Peggy and Don have taken from the first episode to now, laughing together over burgers while throwing out the rule-book. That as different as they each are, they come together as a family. They’re like the anti-family family. The anti-American dream family, somehow living the dream.
So honestly, I do stress you watch Sunday’s episode. Even if you’re not a viewer of the show you’ll find merit in it. I guarantee.
But, not only was it a GREAT episode for the characters – it was a super great fashion episode with more looks this week than the average episodes. Plus, there’s two shirtless men – including Jon Hamm, and therefore it’s fashion gold.
Who was your favorite?
With summer just around the corner, it’s high time we start talking about some real summer essentials to get you through the hot, humid days ahead. Enter Warby Parker and their brilliant collection of shades that will flatter any face out there. I only recently learned about this great brand and am excited to share with you some really amazing options to avoid squinting blindly through the sunshine of summer. No one likes a squinter after all, besides…squinting is bound to cause unwanted wrinkles 😉
Not having a Warby Parker store nearby, I took advantage of their really cool Home Try-On option. What that means is, you pick 5 frames you’re interested in and they’ll ship them to you at no cost to play around with on your own time. You then ship them back at no cost after hopefully finding a winner! For the purposes of this post, I also snatched up a pair of eyeglasses to showcase that not only do they make incredible sunglasses, they also make regular frames for everyday use. I don’t wear glasses, but I have to say…$99 for prescription glasses including the lenses and frames is probably the best deal I have ever heard of!
The five frames I selected are:
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All the sunglasses include polarized lenses, which is an absolute must if you ask me. I was really impressed with how sturdy the frames are on each one! Even the Aviators, which at times feel like they’ll break in your hands, were very well made. I have to admit, I had a bit of fun playing around modeling these sunglasses. While twirling around in these I even garnered an odd look or two from onlooking neighbors. What can I say, sunglasses and hats bring out a whole new side to me.
It was especially fun to wear optical glasses to bring out my librarian side.
Fun Fact: I actually worked in my school’s library in 7th and 8th grade and felt oh so special checking people out and charging fines. Ha!
But onto the main point: sunglasses!
Each pair of sunglasses fit very nicely, without having to worry about any pinching behind the ears or atop the nose. Is there anything worse than a snug pair of sunglasses? *no* And I really did like the variety available. I feel that no matter what shape your face is, you’ll be able to find a pair that is flattering. My first pair of sunglasses, the Evelyn‘s, were a gorgeous shape but a bit too large for my face. That’s when having the option to try on other pairs was so great. I later was happy to find that the Quimby frames offered a much similar shape…that better fit my face. It was definitely a lot of fun ‘shopping’ for these at home to find the best pair!
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| Bejeweled Sweatshirt : JCrew (here) Lipstick : MAC Russian Red (here) |
While I really loved each pair, I was blown away by love for the Quimby shades in Absinthe. Really, gorgeous pair of sunglasses that are modern, eye-catching and fun! While colored glasses are quite in right now, I think the vibrant green really stands out against the pack.
Warby Parker in general is now booted to the top of my list as a go-to place for sunglasses. The quality is great without an outrageous price. This was my first time ever shopping for sunglasses online, and I loved how secure I felt that I would find the right fit and style. I think it’s also convenient that you can replace any of the lenses of the sunglasses with a prescription if you need it. That’s a great benefit for those that require glasses but want the freedom to wear attractive shades.
So, without a doubt I give Warby Parker a huge YAY today. Not only are the sunglasses very well made and stylish, I very much appreciated the service of allowing me to try these on at home. It was nice to have the opportunity to wear these in the sun to see how they really work, while not feeling the pressure to make a decision right then and there. It makes me dream that other stores would make this feature available. Try before you buy! It helps you make a confident purchase.
Let me know if you’ve tried Warby Parker before and how your experience went! And definitely take a browse of their site and pick some of these beauties up! Summer is prime time for sunglasses and I think you’ll all be very happy with a pair of your own 😉
What was your favorite look from this week’s Mad Men?
To me,an upside to the social media age is all the fun people have with hashtags like #FlashbackFriday #ThrowbackThursday #ManCrushMonday #WomanCrushWednesday ..and really all things #GirlCrush.
Hash tags are a fun way of celebrating little bits of life; and when it comes to my go to #girlcrush Emma Roberts is currently at the top of my list. The actress, and niece of Julia Roberts, has been on the circuit lately promoting her new film Palo Alto (Which has also caused some social media craziness from writer and co-star James Franco i.e. his infamous Instagram account). To boot, I totally binge-watched American Horror Story Coven last week and Emma’s portrayal of Madison Montgomery is equally as stylish as it is modern…and 100% entertaining.
Last weekend I hit the mall in a bit of a panic to hunt down a Derby hat for a party. I left the mall without a hat, but instead an Highliner Eye Crayon from Marc Jacobs. If nothing else, my eyes would look great! Right? Right. I opted for the shade Lunatic, which is a gorgeous metallic lavender/silver. Lately I’ve banned myself from picking up any new eyeshadows, but was quite smitten with the idea of an eye crayon and when swatched fell in love!
Probably the best part of this guy is how effortlessly simple it is to use with quite a lot of payoff. It’s like the lazy girl’s secret to creating an eye look in no time. And, as this is gel, it’s extremely smooth and easy to wear. My nagging complaint about many of the eye crayons I’ve tried is that I have to put pressure for them to work. With eyes being such a delicate area and sensitive to showing signs of age, dragging an eye pencil along my eye is never something I want to do. Problem solved! You can barely touch this to your eye and still get a ton of pay-off.
I’ve worn this a few times now and continue to be impressed with it’s staying power! Once it sets, it stays nicely in place for quite a long time. Perfect for a night out, but also useful in the day too. The color selection of these is really great as well. In fact, I’ve already ordered Vivid Purple and am seriously eye the browns. But truly, I was so excited about this guy to wait until I got those. I just had to let everyone know straight away how fantastic these are!
If you’re in a rush or don’t feel comfortable developing a full look with eyeshadow, this will be your savior! You can quickly sweep this along your lower lashline for some drama, or even smudge out all over your lid. You’ll be looking great in no time. These are a definite YAY from me!
Has anyone else tried these? Let me know what you think. And take a look at the full collection here.