The Chambray Miss

Monday, March 9, 2015

Monday Round-Up - Transition Outerwear

The temperature is rising and the snow is melting. If you're anything like me (live in NJ/NY area, despise the snow, hate being pale, commute into NYC daily, etc) you may have shed a little tear this morning when you stepped outside your front door to get a feel for what outerwear would be appropriate, and realized that you didn't have to wear your bulky winter coat and scarf. Winter clothes just make everyday functioning so much more difficult. It's liberating being able to move my arms and function as a normal sized human without any obstructions (i.e. coat and scarf). Sometimes it's truly the little things that are enough to start a Monday off the right way. In this case, it's 42 degree weather and not having to start my car 15 minutes before I left the house just so I can get into a car that feels like a refrigerator instead of a freezer for my drive to work. In celebration, here is a round-up of some of my favorite coats/jackets that are perfect for the winter-spring transition. Sayonara, Winter, you've overstayed your welcome.

*I understand some people may look at this and think I'm crazy for recommending a Burberry jacket. However, I completely think that this coat is worth every last penny because it will last you forever, and you can easily get a good 6 months a year out of this jacket.

lululemon

J.Crew

Thursday, March 5, 2015

8 Cosmetics That You Will Thank Me For

I was never one to care about being the best at doing makeup. Of course I'm just like every other girl where I wear it everyday, put on some for work, and put on more to make me look pretty enough to attract attention when I go out. But I never cared about watching tutorials and learning tips and tricks on beautifying myself. I mean, let's be honest, watching a makeup tutorial is like attempting a DIY on Pinterest. It never comes out the way you see it on the Internet. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, please reference this BuzzFeed article.
Then when that happens I tend to just give up and pout that my life would be so much easier if I could just hire someone to do my makeup everyday while I was half asleep, like a Kardashian. Or better yet, life would be easier if I could just be a Kardashian. I don't have to be Kim, Kendall will suffice (noticing a trend here?). Anyway, there are so many steps to putting on makeup with just the basics! Contouring - how do I do it? What kind of brush to I need? I don't even know how to do winged eyeliner, which I feel is now an elementary skill in the cosmetology world. And when I asked my makeup savvy sorority sisters in college, I got mixed responses as to whether or not my eyes could pull that off. So I came to a conclusion. There's no right or wrong when it comes to makeup as long as you color inside the lines, use a mirror, and have some good lighting while you do it.

I may not be the best at doing makeup, but with skin that hates me, I want to make sure I have the best. Trust me there's nothing worse than sitting at work and your mascara starts flaking or you go out and you feel like you literally have a layer of frosting on your face. So, no, this is not a makeup tutorial, rather, this is a tried and true list of products I feel to be (some of) the best out there in no particular order.

e.l.f. Makeup Remover Pen

This is by far the most inexpensive item on this list. But remember that winged eyeliner I mentioned? or have you ever sneezed before your mascara finished drying? This is cruicial in those situations where you need to just erase a little line without taking out a whole eye's worth of makeup.

Maybelline Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil

stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

I have used this same eyeliner for years. The first time I got it I went into the store and asked for the best liquid eyeliner they had, and this is what they gave me. I recently ran out again and, just incase a better one came out over the years, I asked for the best again. Guess what they gave me?

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup

They don't lie when they say this is "weightless". You literally don't feel it on your face at all. The only time my face breathes better is when I dont have any makeup on at all.

Urban Decay Naked3

I absolutely adore the rosy pigments in this palette. Theyre elegant, sophiticated, yet you can have fun with them all at the same time.

Benefit They're Real! Mascara

I can't tell you how much money I have spent on mascara at Sephora since I started wearing it. But one thing every single mascara had in common was that by about halfway through the day it would start to flake and I would want to claw my eyes out. Then I was recommended this by every beauty round-up in the fall. It has changed my life.

Benefit Fake Up Concealer

Same goes for concealer. I have so many different concealers that have just not worked. This one is truly amazing at how well it covers up AND moisturizes under my eyes. I put it on every. single. day. even if I don't put anything else on.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Tube

This is the first and only primer I have ever owned simply because I have never had an issue with it. My eyeliner stay perfectly in place throughout the day and night. Urban Decay just has a way with eye makeup.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Take Or Toss

We all remember that adorable scene in the Sex & The City movie where Carrie is packing up her stuff and her friends help her complete an impossibly giant purge of her closet. I believe that is something we should do around every major milestone in our lives (prefereably with champagne and girlfriends…it helps ease the pain of parting with with your possessions). A recent milestone for me was my college graduation, and though moving back home was difficult, the hardest part of all was trying to merge two closet's and two dresser's worth of clothes into one closet and one dresser. So I decided it was time for me to go through the clothes that I had kept home and get rid of anything I truly would not wear anymore. Yes, I am very guilty of almost getting rid of something but then keeping it just in case I ever find a use for it (which we all know never happens). So I ~~tossed~~ donated about three garbage bags worth of clothes and an entire tote of shoes, yet I still didn't have enough space. It was then that I decided it was time to go through my college clothes and get rid of clothes that I probably should have left at college along with going out on Tuesday nights, using strictly paper plates and plastic silverware so I didn't have to wash any dishes, and eating pizza at 3 a.m. As I packed these clothes away (only some, I didn't actually own all of the below, but I know about 1,000 girls that did) I thought of real-life alternatives. For those struggling with similar issues, hopefully this helps!!

(Right) J.O.A.

(Right) Urban Outfitters

(Right) TopShop

(Right) Trina Turk

(Right) Top & Culottes: Tibi

(Right) Ted Baker London

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

NYFW Street Style

New York Fashion Week has come to a close, and the runway looks will forever live in our memory, but what stands out more than designer looks on the runway? Designer looks on the street. Fashion icons looked absolutely amazing this year in their street style outfits, regardless of the -2 degree temperatures that graced New York City during Fashion Week. There is one mogul that stole the show both on and off the runway - and the award goes to Kendall Jenner. But are you really surprised? Kendall made and an amazing and notable debut as a star in the fashion world during Fashion Week this past fall, and she certainly lived up to her "fashionista" reputation this past week, and looked amazing while doing it.

One thing (among many others) that is incredibly enviable about Kendall Jenner is the mere fact that she has all the money in the world, which means she can afford all of the clothes in the world to create any look that her heart desires. Some of us have to work a little harder and dig a little deeper in the retailsphere in order to piece together the outfit we want at the price we can afford. Refinery29's Ana Colon is also an admirer of Kendall's street style and graced us with a shoppable article for the pieces of Kendall's outfit. The prices range from "okay, I can do that" to "OMG you are insane", but I love this outfit so much that I decided to hunt down similar pieces at lower prices. Why? Because I absolutely need this outfit. Let's face it, Kendall Jenner is pretty much my fashion spirit animal and I need her entire closet.

You can find the article here where you will find a slide show with the designer and retail price of each piece. Below you'll see Kendall's look on the left and what I found to create the look for less on the right. Happy shopping!

Left: (Kendall) Madewell, $158

Right: (Less) ASOS, $41

Left: (Kendall) N. Peal Cashmere, $200

Right: (Less) SheInside, $24.67

Left: (Kendall) J Brand, $794

Right: (Less) Aritzia, $135

I believe that we should always splurge for better quality faux leather leggings because their quality is pretty good at reflecting what you paid for them.

Left: (Kendall) Saint Laurent, $1495

Right: (Less) Zara, $119

I also believe that we should spend a little more on shoes because they can easily become worn out. They are worn everywhere, on every surface, through all types of weather. You want good quality shoes that will keep for a while.

Left: (Kendall) Celine, $3513

Right: (Less) Forever 21, $32.90

Above: (Kendall) Quay Australia, $40

I really didn't see the need to find a dupe for these since they're so reasonably priced!!! However, Quay charges a flat rate of $10 for shipping, if you want to spend $40 and only $40, check Amazon.

Hope I helped feed your shopping addiction! See you on the streets.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

It's Been A While...

So I've been on a bit of a hiatus. First I went on a quick get away to visit a friend in sunny Florida (which wasn't actually that warm, but it's better than snow), and then I started a new job!!! I'm sure everyone knows what it's like starting a new job. It's exciting, stressul, confusing, and time consuming all at once. I say it's time consuming because, with a new commute and a new company, it takes a while to readjust your schedule and then get used to it, and it's taken me about this long to get used to my new schedule. So here I am! I'm back and super excited to get back to being a PR girl by day and blogger by night (or in the morning before the PR girl happens - still haven't figured that out yet). One thing that also comes with a new job is a new desk. A desk is like a second home. You spend 9 hours a day 5 days a week there, and you want to make it your own. Besides, no one likes a bland desk. Here are some pieces I'm craving to help bring some life to my new "home".