DreaminLace

STYLE + BEAUTY + AMBITION OF THE MODERN WOMAN

Fashion

Shopping Haul: JCrew Factory (Mini haul) and Spending Ban

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I’ve been trying to be really good lately when it comes to shopping. But last Friday, I had a bit of a slip up. It’s dangerous what free shipping, an extra 30% off, and the incentive to spend $25 to get enough rewards points to receive a shopping voucher can do to a person. It’s also dangerous when things all come from JCrew or JCrew Factory as I’m largely obsessed with JCrew style and while I really don’t need anything more from JCrew, I always seem to find something I feel I absolutely must have.
So here is a MINI shopping haul. I only made three purchases, one of which unfortunately seems to be out of stock right now (clearly I’m not the only one who fell prey to its beauty). So just a little hump day Wednesday treat, is a mini haul for you lovelies 🙂

Blue Square Gem-stone Bracelet in Gold Tone:

I thought this was huge online and it was only something around $22.40 before the 30% off. So that is a major bargain if you ask me and is what persuaded me to do some shopping in the first place. You naughty naughty bracelet! I think this will be really beautiful this fall and look forward to wearing this often. JCrew and JCrew Factory make really great jewelry and this design is great, but it is also really different for them. They often have a vintage type feel. This is just chunky and bold and I love it.

I bought a belt. How boring. Right? But honestly I think I really needed this. I don’t have any neutral staples like this in my belt collection and heading into fall I’ve been thinking oh I need to get some and voila, here is this. They have it in several other colors but I was trying to be very practical and think only of getting a lot of use out of something. So, I went with this because it will go with practically anything. I love the belts at JCrew and so I’m happy to add this little guy to my collection 🙂
Who doesn’t love navy and white polka-dots? Dare I say, no one? So naturally this caught my eye. I think this skirt is a great wardrobe staple as it will never go out of style and can be worn really at any time of year. You can dress this up and down too so it works for all sorts of events. It’s really like the every girl, everyday skirt. It also has a nice amount of bounce when you put it on. So, if you’re looking for a good new skirt I’d take a look at this one!
And that is it. My very mini-JCrew haul. I’m going to continue to try to be very good and not shop as I have tons of new things I bought over the summer gearing up to fall, that I haven’t even worn yet. So I am absolutely not in any shortage of new things to wear. So, I’m going to go on a One-Month Spending Ban to force myself to shop among my own closet and not online or at the mall. That means no new clothing or beauty pieces till Oct. 25th. That is the weekend of the Nordstrom Beauty Event and I don’t want to try and trick myself into thinking I won’t buy anything there so one-month it is. No spending by me other than food and other life essentials. 
Think about joining in with me as I think there’s strength in numbers and it could actually be kind of fun! (Oh, the way I kid myself…haha) Follow me on twitter if you do and say hi so I can follow you and we can keep tabs on how we’re doing. 
Hope everyone has a great rest of the week!
xoxo
Kelly

Beauty, Fashion

Liebster Award Nominations :)

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Hello everyone!

I received joyous news from the amazing Candy today, that she nominated me for a Liebster Award. Now, if you’re not sure what that is, you’re alright because I didn’t either. All I knew was it was amazing to receive a nomination of any kind from Candy as she’s an amazing blogger and has an amazing Instagram (which is where I discovered her awesome-ness). 

Her blog Candy Says is fantastic. The quality is like something you’d see in a magazine! No joke. She has such a unique voice and style. Seriously check her out and you’ll fall in love with her blog (and her) I promise. 

And so, a Liebster Award is an award designed to promote newer bloggers as a way to get the word out about great new blogs. 


As a nominee, you answer the 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you. And then, nominate more blogs you feel deserve recognition and create 11 new questions for them to answer. It’s a pay it forward system so to speak 🙂

So first, let me answer Candy’s questions!

If you could go into one shop and have anything and everything you wanted for free, which shop would you choose?
Crew. I admit I have a lot of JCrew already and very rarely wear an outfit containing nothing from them…but there’s always more more more I want! I just love their style, and quality!

Which mascara do you use?
It varies but my current favorite is a bit of a shocker really, Cover Girl Lashblast Fusion. I just love it!

Which fashion house would you most like to work for?

Without a doubt, Dolce and Gabbana. Their designs are so glamorous and luxurious, with a lot of drama. It would be fascinating to see the day to day happenings of their work space. I’d love to be a fly on the wall, or even fetch them coffee. Just to be in the presence of such talent would be amazing.

Who influences your style?
I guess it sounds weird to say myself but it is the most true. I think we all have to find our own sense of style and learn what works best for ourselves. Fashion is very personal really. But I of course read a lot of Vogue and Harpers Bazaar, and other fashion magazines so I guess you could say fashion editors. There’s not one style icon I really study. 
What would you typically wear on a first date?
I guess it would have to depend on the season and the date really. But I think it’s best to keep it casual. I love overdressing for things but I don’t think the first date is the time to go ALL OUT. You don’t want to intimidate the guy, haha. Just be natural. Jeans and probably a cute top or sweater with fun accessories.

Eyes or lips; or are you one of those brave people who emphasizes both?
I have to admit I’m one of the brave ones who does them both. I’m not afraid to wear bold makeup. Sometimes I think ‘Oh, this is probably a bit much…’ but then I don’t care. I do think I need more nudes lipsticks. I have tons of bold lipsticks and literally only one nude, Creme Cup by MAC which is a soft pink. It would really mix it up for me to go soft. 

Do you have something hanging in your wardrobe which you’ve never worn?
Yes…guilty as charged. I’m kinda bummed by how hot the weather is still though because I bought a lot of great things for fall that it’s just far too warm to wear still. Then I promise I will wear it all!

Do you have a favorite pair of shoes?
Hmmm…I bought a pair of black leather ankle boots last year that I really love…and I also cannot wait for the weather to cool down so I can bring those boys out.

What cheers you up if you are sad?
My doggie, Lucky. He’s a golden retriever and I honestly thing we’re soul mates. He and I just fell in love with each other the day we met. He actually was adopted by my step dad, but then he pretty much adopted me and I him. We’re two peas in a pod 🙂

If you won a holiday for two, who would take with you and why?
My mom. Because I love her and we have so much fun together. 

What is your favorite thing about blogging?
The people. I honestly didn’t realize what a great community there is among bloggers until I started doing it. I haven’t even been doing this very long and I’ve already met some really great people! Bloggers are awesome 🙂



And my nominees are……


And my questions for you guys are:

1. If you had time for only one item of makeup, what would you choose?

2. Where’s your favorite place in the world you’ve traveled to?

3. What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?

4. Do you play any musical instruments?

5. If you could choose one store to get unlimited free, clothes from, who would you choose?

6. What’s a beauty thing you’re not good at (i.e. painting nails, etc.)

7. What’s the last book you read?

8. What inspired you to start a blog?

9. Can you cook? If so, what’s your best dish?

10. What are some most-have items everyone should have in their wardrobe?

11. Would you rather cut off all your hair or never be able to cut your hair again?

Hope everyone checks out my nominated blogs, and of course Candy’s blog. This is a really sweet idea and I’m happy to be able to introduce you guys to some good blogs I’ve discovered recently. Happy reading 🙂

xoxo
Kelly
Designer Fashion, Fashion

Paris Fashion Week: Anthony Vaccarello

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And so we’ve made it to the grande finale of Fashion Month: Paris Fashion Week. Paris Fashion Week is coveted as the best of the best, and there are several amazing designers that will take the stage this week. Taking the stage on Day 1 is Anthony Vaccarello, a modestly newer line (debuted in 2008 I believe) with a collection of micro-minis. Short skirts are very short in the world of Anthony Vaccarello, and sharp with a very sharp diamond cut in the front. The collection as well takes on a masculine vibe and a little bit of an 80s flare, complete with acid wash, lace, and bit of red leather that would make Michael Jackson proud. Spring/Summer 2014 is to be short, cool, and sleek according to the designer, and apparently for the very confident as well with hemlines so high and cut outs so plunging. Little is often left to the imagination but it’s a clean and strong collection and a positive way to kick off the curtain call of this amazing month in fashion.

Take a look at some highlights of the collection and weigh in with your thoughts 🙂

xoxo
Kelly

Designer Fashion, Fashion, Red Carpet Fashion

2013 Primetime Emmy Awards: Worst Dressed

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Hello again loves,

After reviewing my Best Dressed  of the Primetime Emmy Awards last night, it only seems fair to also reveal my Worst Dressed of the night. While overall the red carpet fashions were pretty decent, there were a few looks that had me in disagreement.

Disclaimer: Please realize this is nothing against the women in particular, just the fashion 🙂

That said, here (again in no particular order) is my Worst Dressed list of the Emmys.

Zooey Deschanel in J. Mendel

This is one I think many will vehemently disagree with, but I found Zooey Deschanel’s look to be extremely dull. Not to mention, it also ages her quite a bit…okay and also doesn’t really fit her well. This is a soft blue/gray by J. Mendel and while the design of the dress is okay, the cut and fabric are just too old for someone who spends their career acting like a grown up child. I wish Jane Lynch wore this. I think this would’ve looked amazing on her. On Zooey, it’s a solid “meh”. And on a night when good fashion was everywhere, meh is just meh enough to land you on my Worst Dressed list.

Amanda Peet in Erdem:
 
I had to blink a few times when I saw this was Erdem. Usually I love everything about Erdem but this leaves very very little to be desired. If I had to pinpoint what a Victorian courtisane would wear, I’d pinpoint this. If you look on the expression on Amanda’s face you can tell she’s a bit unsure of this as well, which honestly makes it worse probably. I find that if you’re wearing something wacky and own it, it’s by definition much better than when you stand there looking like you’re nauseated. Sorry Amanda Peet, I really like you…but this is just unattractive.
Jessica Lange in Escada:
 
The reason I put a disclaimer on this post that none of this is personal, is because I really love Jessica Lange. I have a lot of respect for her as a person and as an actress, and so it’s actually physically painful for me when she’s wearing something that’s just not right. And she so often does. The woman has got to higher a stylist. I will say that her hair and makeup are flawless! Her bodice however look like it got swallowed by a jellyfish.
Julianne Hough in Jenny Packham:
 
Julianne Hough seems like a really sweet girl and the relationship she has with her brother is pretty adorable. Because of this I really did want her to wear something great on the red carpet but this was not it. I cannot get behind this trend of flashing your undies as high fashion. It’s just not right. I know she’s a dancer and has an amazing body, but that does not mean we should have to see this much of it when she’s supposed to be at a black-tie, evening wear event. Julianne Hough and Jenny Packham (don’t think she can escape the blame here) should know better.
Vera Farmiga in Theskon’s Theory:
 
She may play Norma Bates on TV in Bates Hotel, but that is no excuse to dress in something that looks like it’s the Haunting of the Primetime Emmy Awards. This is so gothic, and not in a good and interesting way, but in the way that is really very weird for someone of her age (or any age for that matter) to be playing around like this. This is awful to me, and probably the very worst of the night. I fail the hair as well, but the makeup does pass. This is too bad really, because I was honestly excited for her nomination as she is pretty amazing on Bates Hotel but instead of being excited for her when I spotted her on the red carpet I was a bit horrified. Oh well, there’s always next year!
Do you agree or disagree with everyone on this list? If you disagree, who are your picks for worst dress? I love knowing everyone’s fav and least favs of the night. After all, it is the fashion that makes these events fun.

xoxo
Kelly

Designer Fashion, Fashion, Red Carpet Fashion

2013 Primetime Emmys: Best Dressed

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Hello lovelies,

Last night was television’s biggest night, the Primetime Emmy Awards. So of course that means lots of red carpet looks from lots of stunning actresses. I have to say, in terms of best dressed…this is probably the best dressed bunch at the Emmy’s in a long time. Everyone really upped their game so to speak, which is always good to see. (Although I confess I do love when someone dresses totally wacky. Just for the fun of it.)
Here, in no particular order, are my pics for Best Dressed!

Anna Gunn in Romona Keveza

Breaking Bad‘s powerhouse of an actress Anna Gunn had a big night last night as she won an Emmy in her category of Best Supporting Actress. But she also looked amazing. I’ve never seen her look so glowing and gorgeous as she did last night. It made me think back to season one of Breaking Bad when her character was pregnant and wore an awful 80’s prom dress to a fancy birthday party as it was the only thing that fit her. Needless to say, this Romona Keveza dress is far better than any 80’s prom dress. I think she looked fabulous and I’m so happy for her. And really rooting for Skylar to survive the final episodes now as a side effect of such a beautiful dress.

Michelle Dockery in Prada
 
If traveling across the pond to compete against Claire Danes for an award, you may as well look your best as you’re probably going to lose. Sorry Michelle 🙁 But she looked really amazing in this Prada. I love the full skirt and the low back. Plus that bow is incredible! Michelle’s a bit of a fashionista I’ve noticed. I don’t see her at these things often but every time I do, she looks pretty flawless. Well done! And this is a gorgeous color on her.
Elizabeth Moss in Andrew Gn:
 
Mad Men‘s Elizabeth Moss sure has a standard look for the red carpet. Good thing for her, it’s a good one. She was a double nominee last night (and sadly a zero winner) but looked gorgeous in this glittering and simplistic black and white gown from Andrew Gn. I really loved most her blond bob. I’m sure the producers will make her dye it back to brown for the final season of Mad Men, which starts filming soon, but for now I have to say blond suits her well.
Claire Danes in Armani Prive;
 
Speaking of blond bobs, Claire Danes sported a blond faux bob last night, created through the wonders of hair magic. It was sleek and really flattering on her and I kind of wish it was real. What was real though was this haute couture Armani Prive from their gorgeous Fall 2013 collection. I almost wish she wore this as-is from the runway, complete with the black poof on her neck because it would’ve really added something. Either way though, she looks gorgeous and the dress is gorgeous. Arguably one of the best dressed women in Hollywood no matter what the occasion.
January Jones in Givenchy:
 
Another Mad Men star that looked really amazing last night was January Jones in custom Givenchy. January usually goes the dramatic route on the red carpet, so it was especially fun steer away from the Versace in the direction of something soft and feminine. She looked absolutely stunning and really went for the Old Hollywood look she’s often mentioned in reference to (can we say Grace Kelly?). I’m really excited to see where her career goes once her reign as Betty Draper is over because I’d love to see her take off a bit.
Tina Fey in Narciso Rodriguez
 
Last, but certainly not least, is Tina Fey in a surprising burst of color. We often see Tina wearing blacks and navy so this was a lot of fun (for me anyway). I love her retro hair and makeup as well. It really flatters her bone structure. I know that sounds like, kind of silly to say, but it really does frame her face. Tina Fey is one of the realest women in Hollywood so you’re always rooting for her to do well and when she takes home an Emmy and wears a killer dress, you wanna chest bump her or something. So…*chest bump*
And that concludes my picks for Best Dressed at last night’s show. There are other looks I really liked, but these are my standouts. Who stood out to you as best dressed?
xoxo
Kelly
Beauty, Makeup, Skincare

What’s In My….September Ipsy Bag!

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Hey lovelies!
September is upon us and that means…..a September Ipsy Bag!!
For those not familiar with Ipsy, it’s a sample service started by YouTube beauty guru, Michelle Phan. For $10 a month you will receive a monthly ‘Glam Bag’ full of deluxe samples based off your beauty profile (completed at Ipsy.com). It’s very much like Birchbox, except here you also get a monthly bag. They also tend to give better samples.
So, here’s what I got this month!

This month I received mostly cosmetic products, but also some really great eye gels. In fact, this whole bag was really eye focused except for one lip product. So, I’m kind of excited to get to work on my eyes with some new toys to try out 🙂

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels: (2)

I received two pairs of these amazing gels. They’re great for easing redness and puffiness under your eyes. I’ve actually used these already, and love them. I used them to unwind in the evenings of a couple long days but I do think they would be very helpful in the morning too if you didn’t get much sleep. They’re very refreshing on the skin and it make me want to not only buy the full size of version,but look into more from this brand because I’d like something like this in a face mask.

Elizabeth Mott ‘It’s So Big’ Volumizing Mascara

It’s So Big Mascara

A hilariously ironic product received was the ‘It’s So Big’ mascara. Ironic, of course, as this was a much smaller sample…so definitely a not so big It’s So Big. I haven’t used this yet but I definitely will. I like keeping mascara samples like this in my purse or when traveling.

Starlooks Kohl Eye Pencil

Starlooks ‘Obsidian’ Eyeliner:

This is a full size eyeliner pencil and one can never have too many of those. It’s in the shade ‘Obsidian’ which is essentially a black. I haven’t worn this yet but I did test it on my hand and the formula is actually really smooth and creamy, and it smudges nicely. I don’t know why I figured this wouldn’t be that great, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Thanks Ipsy!

Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm
Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm:
This was the first product I pulled from my Ipsy bag and the packaging is definitely very different. It took me a minute to realize the tall lid is actually a brush. (I’m not blonde but sometimes I’d swear I am). I love the color. It’s ‘Big Apple’ and is a very beautiful rosy red. I think this will be great for fall and I am excited to use it!
NYX Eyeshadow in ‘Golden Poppy’
Nyx Eyeshadow:
 
I love NYX cosmetics so I’m excited for this. The color isn’t something I’d usually buy for myself but I do think it will be fun for fall. I’m really glad it came in a bag like this because it is making me think of a shade of shadow I would usually not work with on my own. Nyx makes great eyeshadows with excellent pigmentation. So, this is a great addition I’m kind of excited to experiment with. I’ll let you know how it goes!
I also got a sample of Michelle Phan’s ‘Life Palette’ from her cosmetic line Em Cosmetics. I didn’t bother to photograph it though since it was really just the type of sample you’d find in a magazine (or Birchbox *snicker*) but I am really interested in her line. From what I’ve seen and heard it’s really good stuff. Let me know if you’ve tried anything from EM and how it went!
Also, let me know what you guys got in your Ipsy Bags! I’m always interested to know what everyone gets since I’m nosy like that. A lot of the time the products are mostly the same but there’s always a different product or two you hear about. And if you don’t already have Ipsy, definitely sign up and join in the fun 🙂
xoxo
Kelly