Maybelline Fall 2012 "Scene on the Runway" Collection

Maybelline's Color Tattoo cream shadows have been a hit ever since their release in 2011. The permanent line consists of nine shades. I own three: Bad to the Bronze, Audacious Asphalt and Tough as Taupe. My favorite is Bad to the Bronze, which is a shimmery bronze color (as it sounds). I don't use the other two colors AT ALL.

I like cream shadows because they are versatile and can be worn as a base under eye shadow, or on their own as a wash of color across the lid.

Now on to exciting new things! Maybelline recently released the Fall 2012 "Scene on the Runway" collection. It is a line of eight limited edition cream shadows, four of which are earth toned and four of which are jewel toned.

 Photo credit: Musings of a Muse

Saturday Night BBQ

Tonight my family is having a barbecue, and since it's the last weekend before labor day, I thought this would be the perfect time to get one last use out of my white pants! Enjoy :)

Abbeline Sheer Boyfriend Tank - $72

American Eagle white skinny jeans - $40 (on sale!)

J Crew patent leather belt (color no longer available)

The tank I'm wearing is pretty sheer, so I wore a plain black cami (from H&M) underneath.

Trend: Oversized Blouses

To say I’ve fallen for the oversized blouse trend would be an understatement. I’m obsessed (I wonder how many times I can use that word on my blog?). These shirts are more than just a trend to me. They are staple pieces in my wardrobe; so much so, that it’s almost like I’m collecting them.

My dream would be to own every color of the Equipment Signature Blouse, but alas, my budget does not allow this (especially after a few of my recent purchases).

I’ve been searching the internet for blouses, and somewhat surprisingly, found a bunch on Forever 21 that looked comparable in quality to J Crew's blouses. I mostly shop at Forever 21 for trendy clothes that I’ll probably only wear a few times, and then discard. This way I don't feel as bad when I give these items away because I didn’t waste a lot of money on them. However, the blouses I found are really well-made and I’m glad I ordered them, especially because they are so affordable!

Lustrous Semi-Sheer Shirt $17.80

My new obsession (J.Crew Cece flats)

A pair of shoes I've been loving this spring/summer are the J Crew Cece leather ballet flats. I own three pairs! Luckily, I haven't bought any of them at full retail price (thank god for student discounts and the outlet store!).

I was never a huge fan of J Crew until this spring. I always saw their clothing and style as catered more towards an older crowd, but recently it seems like the company has shifted their target customer focus. All of their items are still classics, but they've updated their patterns and colors for a more contemporary and young look. Everything is bright and bold, and they have tons of statement accessories!

Below are the three flats that I own:

J Crew Cece Leather ballet flats in Fresh Mango $138

Fresh Mango is no longer available online, but you may still be able to find the color in J Crew factory/outlet stores. The shoe is currently being sold online and in stores in its fall shades. The fall color equivalent would probably be the Poppy, which is red, but I've read reviews saying it looks more coral in real life.

The other two Cece flats that I own are actually in the same style. I had been searching for black and nude flats, and even though I don't really like buying the same flat in different colors, when I saw these and their studs I wanted both colors! I bought the black ones from J Crew online and found the nude ones (for half off!!) when I was shopping at the Woodbury Commons outlet in New Jersey with my cousin last weekend.

J Crew Cece Studded leather ballet flats in Black (top) and Warm Taupe (bottom) $138

Black and nude flats are definitely staple shoes that every woman should have in her wardrobe. They go with everything and can be dressed up or down. I particularly like these ones because of studs. They give an otherwise plain, neutral colored flat some edge.

Outlet Goodies!

UPDATE: The Tory Burch outlet sent me the wrong boot :(. I received the Blaire heeled boot when I ordered the flat boot. Luckily, I found another flat boot for fall, which also happens to be Tory Burch. This one is a Nordstrom exclusive and is the Nadine Riding Boot. I went to my local Nordstrom and they happened to have one boot left, and it was in my size and the color (black) I wanted!

$495

This weekend I visited my cousin in New Jersey and of course we spent some quality, retail therapy, time together. We went to the Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets in New York, and I definitely recommend everyone go there at least once in their life! The outlet is HUGE. There are over 200 stores and in two hours we hit 10 of them, but I'm pretty sure we only seriously shopped in four. 

The best part about Woodbury Commons is the high end, luxury stores. These include: Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Chloe, Diane Von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta, Reed Krakoff and YSL, to name a few. I didn't go to all of these, and I'm not saying they'll have the best selections, but I'm sure they have good deals!

The highlight of the shopping trip for me was going to the Tory Burch store. I didn't even know Tory Burch had outlets, but apparently there is this one and two in California. 

Neon Haze

Today's outfit is pretty simple and easy for anyone to recreate! All of the individual items - blouse, skinny jeans, flats and statement necklace - are staple pieces that I think every woman should have in her closet.

What makes my outfit more fashionable than boring is that I wore classic pieces with a twist. Neon and color blocking are, and continue to be, huge trends this summer.

I color blocked by pairing this neon coral blouse and turquoise necklace together. Personally, I'm not daring enough to color block with two clothing items as most people do, such as wearing mint pants and a purple top, but color blocking via accessory is within my styling comfort zone.

J Crew Silk Blythe Blouse in Neon Rose

Imitation J Crew Bubble Necklace in Turquoise

J Brand 811 mid-rise jeans

Steve Madden Kadiee flats in nude patent (on sale now!)

Michael Kors 'Runway' Rose Gold watch

Coral and Navy OOTD

Another casual day at work - enjoy!

I love pairing coral and navy together. The color combo is similar to navy blue and orange, but coral gives the outfit a more spring/summer feel. 

The coral in my blouse is more of a red coral, while my shoes are a pink coral. I like how the two shades of coral look together because it gives the outfit more dimension.

I carried my Balenciaga classic City in Cassis, and even though the colors don't exactly match (photo coloring is off; refer here to see the true color) I thought the bag really pulled the outfit together to create a sophisticated look. If the color of the bag really bothers you an alternative choice would be to use a white or beige purse - you can't go wrong with a light (or any color) neutral!

Blouse: Michael Kors (purchased at my local Nordstrom Rack)

Jeans: Rag and Bone Skinny in Kensington

Flats: J Crew Cece leather flats in Fresh Mango (no longer available on site)

Bag: Balenciaga Classic City in Cassis