Nevada OTK Boots

I had yet to find a pair of over-the-knee boots that I like, until I came across this pair from Chinese Laundry ($119):

I love the striping effect up the side, which makes them sporty, and how they are otherwise simple.  Even though they have no heel, they're still stylish.  Seeing as how I have to walk over a half mile to get to class (over sidewalks that become super slippery in the winter time), it might be a good idea to set aside my love of heels for something more practical.  Not that these look practical--which might just be the best thing about them.

Yesterday's Outfit

Yesterday the Boyfriend and I met up in Kingston, NY for some apartment-stuff shopping.  It was totally boring.  But the Boyfriend liked my outfit so much that he took a picture of me.  Who would have guessed that my now-outdated LG Dare would have a better camera than his brand new iPhone 4?

Okay, what I'm wearing...the blazer is from the Gap.  The button up shirt is from New York & Company.  The gray tank top is from American Eagle.  The skinny cargos are from Express.  The boots are Puma.  My earrings (which you can't really see) are from Loft.  I think this is the first time I've posted an actual on-me outfit.  Oh my!

My Favorite Cape May Purchase

I'm back in New Paltz after visiting Cape May for five days.  The first day of classes felt totally surreal!  But I brought a little bit of Cape May with me today by wearing my favorite purchase from that amazing locale.

I am completely in love with this hand knit necklace by Omeria.  My mom and I happened to be heading into a CVS when we found an artist's market.  My mom purchased a couple gorgeous photographs and a thoroughly cute print, but I fell in love with one of the many jewelry options at the markets.  There's something so innately cool about handcrafted jewelry, as well as getting to meet--in person--the artist who created it.  You get to learn about the technique and materials used, which creates an unparalleled appreciation for the piece.  One also learned about the amount of care and pure love that went into each and every design.

Besides all that, the necklace is just gorgeous.  It features a variety of beads, crystals and faux pearls, and has a neat magnetic clasp that makes getting it on and off without help a breeze (my clumsy fingers always take forever to manage more delicate, intricate clasps).

What I love about this necklace is how versatile it is.  It can certainly be used with a cocktail dress, but just as easily can be transitioned for wear with jeans and a t-shirt (as I wore it today).  I love wearing it with a simpler ensemble, because once it's on, I'm free to don anything else as basic as I please.  It makes whatever I'm wearing fabulous!

Cape May: Day Two

My mom and I slept in this morning, before going to breakfast and sitting where we could people watch the boardwalk.  After, we decided to start walking around the town, just to see what we could find.  Not far from the beach is a fantastic pedestrian mall, with an assortment of cute stores.

We fell in love with Lace Silhouettes' Cape May store (there are seven, including a main one in Pennsylvania that apparently is 3000 sq. feet of intimate apparel--am I the only one excited by this?).  I'd never been in a legitimate lingerie store (Victoria's Secret hardly counts), so this was fun, especially since I have an obsession with pretty bras.  My mom and I liked the store so much, we plan on going to the main store later in the year.

I finally decided on this bra, with the matching thong and garter belt, since hell it's vacation and I want it all, hah!

After being completely lazy and lounging on the beach all day, we went out to eat at the Mad Batter, which had an amazing vegetable wellington (I ordered mine minus the cheese and pesto).  Then, it was time for more shopping!

While meandering around, we found Victorious Pink, a boutique in a beautiful old Victorian home.

I got this jacket from Ryu.  I think it's absolutely gorgeous, and it fits so well!  Although in the picture, because of the wacky lighting in the hotel bedroom it looks yellow, it's actually white.  I can't wait to wear it--it's a little too warm here.

Meanwhile, my mom fell in love with this orange bag from Hobo International:

One of my favorite things about the bag (besides the superbly soft leather) is the interior, with all it's organizational pockets:

Tomorrow plans to be much the same, and I can honestly say, I'm looking forward to it!

Cape May: Day One

My mom and I decided to take a vacation at Cape May, New Jersey.  So far we've only had time to drive through the town, go out to dinner, and quickly visit the beach, but it's already been amazing.  The town is beautiful--lots of Victorian homes, cute shops, and seafood restaurants.  Dinner was at the restaurant next to our hotel (which is right on the beach).

I had the seafood tacos, except I took the fish out and ordered it without sour cream and cheese.  But the vegetables were fresh and the guacamole was amazing.  Apparently a lot of the restaurants in town (including this one) depend on a local farm for much of the veggie offerings.

With dinner I had a Sunset Beach cocktail, which was suitably fruity and fortunately not very strong.  Not sure how well it complemented the food, but who cares?  I'm on vacation.

After dinner, we went for a walk down the beach--I couldn't wait to get my feet in the water!  My mom and I took more pictures on her camera, but we forgot to bring the cable so we're hoping to find one in town, and I'll upload the pictures tomorrow.

Today it was rainy, but tomorrow the weather is supposed to get better.  I can't wait to go swimming!

A little shoe shopping...

Even if you're not going back to school, I feel like this is a time of year everyone associates with revamping and adding to their wardrobe.  Naturally, I can't resist a chance to go shopping, especially for my favorite thing--shoes!  I recently added a pair of heels (totally impractical, but I'm a sucker for red) and a pair of black ballet flats (totally necessary since I've worn out my old pair).

The heels are from Carlos Santana (I seem to be starting to build a collection of his shoes)...and I think they're totally adorable!

The flats are by CROWN Vintage.  Normally, I despise flats because I find them incredibly uncomfortable and they always give me blisters, but these feel like slippers!

Maybelline Silk Eyeshadow

Some months ago I received a free Maybelline New York Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow set in Copper Chic.  For some reason, I never got around to using it, although after giving it a test run today, I can't imagine why not!

The set I have in person has a really pretty shimmer to it, which Maybelline's web site image does not convey.  The set is available at drugstores for around $10.  I think it's a worthwhile investment, and plan on buying sets in a whole lot more colors.

I love layering eyeshadow, and it's made easy by all the color coordinating sets available out there.  I started out by lining my upper and lower lashlines with the darkest color, as shown in the image below.  I didn't go overboard because I did this this morning, but for night you can definitely go wild!

The next step was to use the next darkest color on the outer portion of my lids.  I love the shimmer!  Using this color alone I think would be fantastic.

The third step was to use the third shade on the rest of my lid.  After that, I used the lightest shade as a highlighter on the inside corner of the lid and on the browline.  Super easy copper-colored smoky eye!

I love the way this eyeshadow catches the light and the smoky effect it has.  It's perfect for daytime wear, but could definitely be pumped up for nighttime.

Here's the final result:

I'm wearing my favorite Urban Decay mascara, Clinique Blushwear cream stick in Rosy Blush, and Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Ripe Papaya.  Of course, I felt so clever with the way I applied the different colors, but then I just noticed a minute ago that on the packaging there's an image of how to do it.  Oh well!

Overall, I'm very pleased with this eyeshadow set.  The color quality is gorgeous and it actually lasts.  Ten hours later, after a ridiculously hot and humid day, the makeup had stayed put.  The only downside I really see to it is the ridiculous applicator it comes with.  I didn't even bother trying to use it (I never do) but instead used an angled eyeshadow brush.  Application perfection.

As I said before, I plan on buying many more sets in different colors.  Can't wait to try them all out!

Soup and Sandwich

Yesterday morning I went to our local farmer's market and returned with a bounty of vegetables, including leeks, tomatoes, and a large yellow onion.

Supermarket onions can't compare to fresh-from-the-farmer taste.  I should have put something in for scale so that ya'll could see how big it is!

I have never eaten a leek before.  Kinda weird lookin' though, right?  I'd heard of leek soup before, but never tried it, so I decided I'd make my own simple version of it with what ingredients I had lying around.  I sauteed the whites and 1/3 of the green of the leeks with half of the onion and two cloves of garlic.  I added a box of vegetable broth, brought to a boil, and then simmered for thirty minutes.  To go with my soup, I made a sandwich using fake-turkey slices, half an avocado, and a slice of tomato (also purchased from the farmer's market yesterday).  There is nothing like a fresh, ripe tomato.

It was a simple meal, but the ingredients were fresh and of good quality, so I didn't need to do anything fancy with them.  Everything was absolutely delicious and incredibly satisfying.  It's definitely a meal I will make again!

---

Also today I gathered a bunch of oregano from my garden to dry.  The smell is incredible!  I'm also a fan of the tiny, delicate pink, purple and white flowers from the herb--they've attracted countless bees and butterflies to my garden!

I love the sight and smell of fresh herbs drying!  It's so simple but so pretty.  It's an easy, fragrant way to bring nature indoors.  I also can't wait to have it for cooking during the winter while the garden is hibernating.

Books I Am Looking Forward To...

I love reading books on fashion.  They're usually full of beautiful, inspirational photos or illustrations and unlike my science textbooks, they're light and easy to read.  In short, they're enjoyable and useful, which is why I've reviewed so many of them here on my blog.  I've ransacked my local library of pretty much all of their books on style, but I'm hopeful to soon have another stack of books to read when I return to New Paltz.  If nothing else, there are a few books coming out this fall that I am definitely looking forward to.

Harper's Bazaar is one of my favorite magazines, because although I will likely never be able to afford the majority of the pieces they feature, everything is beautiful.  Although I feel like I have developed my own personal style, it's pretty malleable (as it should be, since I'm in a major transitional part of my life), and am always interested in other's opinions on creating personal style.  Especially when it comes from talented editors!  The book is going to be $16.47 and will be available November 2.

I am really looking forward to the Style Checklist!  I absolutely love timeless guides to what every woman should own in her wardrobe.  I don't know why; it's a total guilty pleasure.  I also love how in the book description it promises to "make your everyday commute your runway."  How awesome a statement is that?  I won't have to wait long, because the book comes out September 7 and will cost $15.51.

Clinton Kelly is one of my favorite people.  And What Not to Wear is one of my favorite shows.  Kelly's other book (Freakin' Fabulous) lived up to its name, so I can't wait for this one to come out!  The book focuses on common fashion faux pas committed by women, and how to avoid them.  I feel like if anyone  is an authority on this subject, it's Clinton Kelly.  The book is available October 12 and will cost $17.56.

And sorry for any typos!  It's time to go and watch the Soup!

Jane Shoulder Bag

I am in love with this handbag.  I don't believe I actually need to say the name of the gorgeous high-end bag this inexpensive shoulder bag resembles.

I love the texture, the color, the interior organization (a necessity in a bag for me!).  And the price of $48.41?  Love that too.

AcneFree Terminator 10

Okay, the name of this product sounds scary--like nothing I'd want to put on my face.  After all, who wants to go to bed after applying product to their face with visions of Ah-nold floating through their head?  But I don't really care anymore what the name is, because the results are amazing.

AcneFree Terminator 10 ($5.99) is advertised for severe acne.  I don't have severe acne all over my face, however, what I did have were persistent breakouts in one area of my face that just kept coming back for months on end.  Nothing would work.  I tried new face washes, toners, salicylic acid treatments, but nothing, absolutely nothing worked.  On a whim, I purchased this, remembering that in high school a dermatologist had my brother using a 10% benzoyl peroxide cleanser to treat his severe acne (using this kind of cleanser does more bad than good for me--it dries out the rest of my face horribly).

I wish I had taken before photos, because although no one really wants to see that ickiness, it would have served as great proof of exactly how great this product is.  After the first night, there was an immediate reduction in the size of my breakouts.  After three nights, they were all completely gone, and I  haven't been bothered by them since.  I love that not only does it work quickly, it also only needs to be applied to problem areas (which is difficult to do with a cleanser).  Thus, it gets rid of breakouts without drying out the rest of your face.  To anyone who is struggling with breakouts and cannot find anything to successfully treat them, I recommend this product.

Express Cargo Skinny Pant

When I was in sixth grade, we were given manilla folders to keep all of our essays in.  These were natural canvases for doodling.  But while other kids were covering theirs with funny shapes and patterns, mine were littered with clothing ideas.  And I had one particular obsession--cargo pants, but not any cargo pants, skinny cargo pants.  Imagine my joy years later now that skinny cargo pants are everywhere.  I waited until Sunday to buy my first pair, because I'm particular about buying pants.

I bought a pair ($59.90) from Express.  Online it's only available in black, but in the store they also carried it in an olive green (which I bought) and denim-look.  I love the knit fabric, the super-skinniness of it, and the higher waist than the JBrand Houlihan (I have these things called "hips").  Can't wait to wear them!  Because of their length, they're perfect with heels or flats, and there're about a bazillion tops that would go with them.

A Day at the Races

Yesterday my family and I spent the day at Saratoga Race Track.  Per our family tradition, we sat by the Big Red Spring so that we were close to the paddock and could see the horses before they race.  I'm not big on gambling, but I did come ahead $0.40, which is better than losing!

The Big Red Spring!  Saratoga is famous for its mineral water, which is supposed to have healing properties--although it isn't always the tastiest!  Still, it's a tradition in my family to always have at least a taste since it's so good for you.  Somehow, my grandpa actually likes it.

Isn't this horse beautiful?  They're all such big, beautiful animals.

Naturally, I love it when the jockeys and horses wear pink!  And I'm totally jealous of their authentic riding boots.

Before every race the horses warm up around the track.  It's so much fun to watch the race at the rail and see the horses fly by you!

Arcade Fire at Madison Square Garden

Woo, sorry for not posting yesterday.  I'm a little off because of going down to New York City with the Boyfriend to see the Arcade Fire at Madison Square Garden.  It was an absolutely incredible show!  Almost the entire crowd was on their feet for nearly the entire time.  It was completely worth seeing the band in person--no wonder the Boyfriend couldn't wait to go back after seeing them a few years ago.

Here's a video of one of my favorite songs: The Arcade Fire - "Wake Up" MSG 8/4/2010.



Now I'm the one who can't wait to see them again!

Review: The Style Strategy

Yesterday I read through Nina Garcia's the Style Strategy: a less-is-more approach to staying chic and shopping smart ($10.79), a book meant for women to develop style on a budget.  I haven't read the One Hundred, but I did snag the Little Black Book of Style the moment it arrived in bookstores, and loved every page.  The Style Strategy didn't disappoint me.  Like Black Book, it was a quick read, yet full of practical, easy to follow advice.  There are three sections, meant to answer these three questions--What do I have?  What do I need?  What do I want?  I agree with Nina that everyone should ask themselves these three questions.

In What Do I Have? Nina describes the necessity of taking inventory of one's entire wardrobe, which makes total sense.  She offers ways of accomplishing this, since apparently most women dread this task (I love doing this--who doesn't like playing dress up?).  The requirements for what gets kept and what should be gotten rid of are made clear and there is sound advice for how to part with pieces that have served their purpose, are loved, but simply must go.

The second section, What Do I Need? emphasizes that yes, shopping is fun and it's easy to be convinced that one needs everything in the store, but it's absolutely imperative to put one's foot down.  Nina lists exactly what it is that everyone must own, and encourages these items to be what women spend the most on (eg: trench coat, trousers, handbag, etc.).

What Do I Want? has four chapters devoted to it.  The most useful I thought was the chapter on caring for your clothes to make them last.  I can't stand it when I see someone out and about in clothes that obviously were residing crumpled on the floor before being thrown on.  Take care of your clothes!

Overall, I enjoyed reading Style Strategy.  It was fun to read, and full of interesting "fashion 101" tidbits detailing how women in the past have made things work when resources and money were strained.  The book lacked fluff, which I appreciated, and it's pragmatism can't be faulted.  The illustrations by Ruben Toledo were fun and inspiring, and I actually prefer them in Nina's books to photos.  I would recommend this book to others, especially those in dire need of rescuing their closets.

Coral Crush

Lately, I've been really into coral (isn't everybody during summer time?) for lip color.  I decided to test out Maybelline New York's Color Sensational in Coral Crush ($6.22).

I've been wearing it pretty much all the time for the past two weeks, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm impressed.  I'm kind of a snob when it comes to makeup and don't normally venture into drugstores for it, but I decided that seven bucks is an easy price to part with if I'm going to be experimenting with different colors.  No serious commitment, right?  Surprisingly, I'm becoming committed to this lipstick!

I'm not ordinarily such a big fan of lipsticks.  They dry out my lips, they're a chore to reapply, and they come off on everything (glasses, tissues, napkins, my boyfriend's lips, etc.).  That's why this drugstore brand, inexpensive lipstick came as such a shocker.  It's creamy and moisturizing--no chapstick needed, and the color literally has lasted me more than once through eight hour shifts without needing to be reapplied, even after eating and constantly sipping on water.

me in my bathrobe wearing Coral Crush

My only complaint is not with the formula, but the color.  It pretty much perfectly matches what's on the packaging, but I wasn't looking so much for a pinkish-coral.  An orangey coral is much more of-the-moment.  But that's my fault, not the lipstick's.  Unfortunately the line doesn't feature a true "orange poppy" colored shade, so I'm going to have to try another.  But that's part of the fun with experimenting with make-up, no?

"Bubble" of Color

The walls of my new apartment (pictures to come once I get around to it--I'm half living there, half living home as the summer winds down) are white.  I am a huge fan of color, yet I have no interest in painting my walls.  I kind of like the idea of having a completely neutral wall to use as a canvas for everything else.  After all, my decorating tastes tend to veer towards explosive colors, so if I mixed that with color on the walls, it would look like an absolute disaster.  Plus, I find white walls to be totally zen and modern at the same time, which suits me at this stage of my life.

But I digress.  The point is that since my walls are white, I'm pretty much free to decorate in any color as I please.  And since it's me, I'm sticking with bright colors, like the orange in this pillow:

The pillow ($48) is simple, yet funky, and I love love orange.  It's a bright, cheery color that'll help me get through this final year of undergrad work.  And since I've loaded up on the credits (again) I'll need all the help I can get!