Monday, August 31, 2015

printed and fringed.

American Eagle shirt, Forever 21 skirt, TJ Maxx sunglasses, gifted necklace, handmade bracelets, Michael Kors purse, sandals (old)




I love earthy colors and boho styles, so I was all over this outfit. I'm normally not a fan of cold shoulder shirts, but this one was so perfectly casual that I knew it would work well in my closet. This skirt is an oldie but a goodie from Forever 21 that was gifted to me from one of my friends. It goes with everything and I don't think I'll be parting with it anytime soon. As for the sandals, I found them in a discount shoe store in NYC a while back. I love the beading and the abundance of straps.

As with any boho look, accessories are a must. This layered chain necklace is one of my faves. It, along with a few of my d.i.y. bracelets (see the full post here), helps to unite the whole outfit. I love casual and fun styles for summer!

xoxo

Sabrina

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Monday, August 24, 2015

jewelry d.i.y. upgrades.

Easiest DIY ever - all I had to do was string a few beads onto a pair of plain hoop earrings.

Do you ever get to that point where you've worn a piece of jewelry so much that it loses its appeal? When this feeling hit me recently, I decided it was time to upcycle a few of my admittedly cheap baubles into something that looked good again.

First up were the earrings (pictured above). I got these hoops at Claire's forever ago and realized I haven't worn them in a while. They were just too basic! To give them a bit of boho flair, I beaded on a few beads I got in a glass bead box from Michael's a while back. Poof! New earrings in an instant.

The original pieces: a stack of tired rings from H&M and a well-loved necklace from Forever 21 with a discolored chain.
The finished products.


For craft number two, I repurposed a stack of H&M rings. These were gold, but I wore them so much that they faded to a burnished bronze. I love this look, but I'm not a fan of the gray band they leave around my finger.

The two single band bracelets were easy to assemble. For the black and white one, I cut a thin strip of cloth from an old t-shirt, looped the ends around the ring, and sewed the ends to close it off. As for the plain black one, I braided some black embroidery thread, knotted the ends around a ring, snipped any excess thread, and secured everything with a bit of clear nail polish.
The gold and black bracelet was also simple. I braided two strips of gold fabric with the t-shirt fabric from before. I then knotted the ends around a ring to finish it.

The big fabric bracelet on the right was slightly more complicated, but still pretty easy. I began by twisting two pieces of fabric together. Then I slipped five rings onto the fabric. After that, I unevenly wrapped black embroidery thread around the whole bracelet to secure it and tie it closed. Voila! Another DIY bracelet achieved.
Remember that worn "gold" necklace from before? Here it is now.
I knew I couldn't get rid of the lightning bolt necklace, since it reminds me of Harry Potter. So, I braided the chain with black embroidery thread, knotted it off at the ends, and turned it into a bracelet. The chain fits perfectly around my wrist when wrapped three times. I love how the little lightning bolt charm dangles off the bracelet!

What do you think? Do you upcycle or DIY anything?

xoxo

Sabrina

Monday, August 17, 2015

ipsy - july/summer lovin'.

The perfect summer makeup bag!
This month's bag was exactly what I needed. It was filled to the brim with color and fresh scents. Here are my thoughts on each of the products.

The Bag: Very cute colors and great for summer. In comparison with some of the other recent bags, this is not my favorite. I still think it's cute though!

Eyetini Swizzle Stick Eyeliner in Blue Hawaiian: If you haven't seen my most recent outfit post, check it out here to see how I wore this product. At first, I was unsure of what to do with this. Once I tried it out though, I was 100% sold. I love the bright blue color! It looks like perfect ocean water. Plus, it goes on smooth and lasts ALL day. Seriously, this stuff didn't budge even when the rest of my makeup was melting off my face.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess: I cannot believe I got this product in an Ipsy bag. The full size of this retails for $30 at Sephora. I have been wanting to try this out for such a long time, but couldn't bring myself to break away from my tried and true drugstore bronzer. Luckily I don't have to worry about that anymore, thanks to Ipsy. So excited to wear this!

Jorel Parker Rollerball Perfume in Classico: This product came into my life right when I needed it. I had just finished up my travel size Clinique Happy and needed another small perfume to tote around. This scent is light and slightly sweet. It is not the longest lasting scent, but it does the job when I want a scent refresher.

Jersey Shore Sun Mongongo Anti-Aging Lip Conditioner in Vanilla Coconut Cream: This is a total yes product for me. Not only is it organic and moisturizing, but the scent is also heavenly. Plus, I go through chapstick like no one's business, so this is a definite must have.

Bellapierre Cosmetics Lipstick in P.I.N.K.: I love this color! While I will always be a red lipstick girl at heart, I love to switch things up. This pink is rosy and sophisticated. It is also amazingly pigmented and lasts well when reinforced with clear lip liner.

What are your thoughts? Did you get a similar bag? Are you thinking about subscribing to Ipsy? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Sabrina

Monday, August 10, 2015

floral pop.

American Eagle dress and flats, Forever 21 earrings
Eyetini swizzle stick eyeliner in Blue Hawaiian c/o Ipsy
'80s inspired nails
Bring on the summer heat! I love this season because it is the perfect time to turn up the color and go as bright as you want. This floral dress is one of my absolute faves. Not only is it super light, but the large printed flowers are fun to match to my makeup!

Speaking of makeup, I got this amazing blue eyeliner in my July Ipsy bag (review coming soon!) and knew I had to test it out asap. It is so bright that I kept the rest of my makeup understated. I love it! I also embraced color with my nails. I am such a fan of the color mixture and retro design.

As for hair, I wanted it all off my face and neck. French braids are perfect when the weather gets warmer because they look chic and take max five minutes to complete. Easy and breezy is the way to go!

xoxo

Sabrina

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

cool for school.

back to school.

back to school

Ok, so I know I may be jumping the gun on this, but I am seriously excited about fall fashion. Don't get me wrong, summer is my favorite season. But fall fashion is where it's at.

I have been loving the variety of backpack designs on the market. Fringe is at the top of my list, and so this one from H&M satisfies my interest perfectly. I am also obsessed with all things high waisted. This pair of black denim jeans works with everything. Plus, the slits at the knee are just enough to add a bit of an edge. Of course, denim in general is having a major moment. I want to keep things fresh by choosing non-traditional styles like this simple chambray top.

As for accessories, I need some bling like the silvery pieces pictured above (or like the ones I recently purchased here). I am also in need of a pair of chunky heels. These mod ones with ankle straps are calling my name. To wrap things up, I have been drooling over this Urban Decay Smoky palate since it first got announced. Hopefully it will make its way into my makeup bag sooner rather than later.

What about you? What are your fall fashion favorites? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Sabrina

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