on my face.

daily makeup routine

 

After much trial and error and a heavy dose of experimentation over the past decade or so, I think I have finally settled on a daily routine with makeup.  Like what I clothe myself in, there's a nice mix of inexpensive buys with more expensive products.  Here's a breakdown:

- Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm with SPF 45

Thanks to a recent Birchbox sample, I found this BB cream.  Man, oh man, have I fallen in love with this stuff.  I like that it contains SPF, has moisturizing qualities, acts as a primer, and provides moderate coverage for my fair skin.  I've also noticed that it acts as a mattifier for the better part of the day, which is great for my super oily skin! 

 - Maybelline Cover Stick in Fair

I should probably be more discriminating with my concealer, but this one tends to do a decent job of covering my under-eye circles and masking blemishes.  I like products that can multitask, but am open to recommendations if anyone has them.

- e.l.f. Tickled Pink Blush

This stuff is dirt cheap and has just about the same pigmentation as most drugstore brands, but it doesn't break me out!  I have fairly sensitive skin, so I have to be careful about blushes.  I used to be a big fan of the Sally Hansen Carmindy line of mineral blushes, but I can't seem to find it anywhere in stores anymore, much to my chagrin.

 

- Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original

For the longest time, I never truly understood the purpose of eyeshadow primer.  I should've known better, especially since I have oily, hooded eyelids.  It's a no-brainer now: I throw it on and my shadow lasts all.day.long.

 

- Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette

THIS.  This palette made me a believer in eyeshadow, y'all.  All of the shadows included truly compliment my "warm autumn" coloring, and I have found quite a few combinations with the colors included.  Also, since the pigmentation is quite concentrated, I don't have to use very much to achieve the look I want.  

 

- Rimmel Soft Kajal Eye Pencil - in Sable Brown

I love the ease with which this goes on, and it is infinitely smudgable.  Those two things should be prerequisites of any good eyeliner.  

- Ulta Kohl Eye Liner Pencil - in Plum

This is the only Ulta brand eyeliner I have, but it is the perfect plum color and truly enhances the green in my eyes.

 

- L'Oreal Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner - in Earthen Rock Brown

When I'm in the mood for a cat eye, I swipe this stuff on.  I've also heard some good things about a few Cover Girl liquid eyeliners, so I might be changing this up soon.

 

- Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara - in Blackened Brown

First of all, this stuff lives up to the hype of helping to make your lashes longer and stronger.  I've been using it for a year and my lashes have never been this long or thick.  I love the huge brush as it helps to add volume to my lashes.  

 

- Smith's Rosebud Salve

A classic and the only thing that keeps my lips soft.  Most other balms dry out my lips, but this stuff is just perfect.  I can also use it as a cuticle cream in a jam, too!

- Pur Mnerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup

I still keep this stuff on hand to throw on at the end of the day if I'm looking a bit shiny.  It's light, goes on without drying the skin, and mattifies things right away.  

Soon, I'd like to do posts on skincare and hair, so keep an eye out for those.  Also: my awesome friend/roommate Jennie will be doing a guest post soon on lipstick and lip stain, and you should all be waiting with bated breath for what she'll share with all of us! 

weekender

weekender by paleandmild 

Despite my affinity for all fall colors, sometimes I really just want to throw on several neutrals with pops of color instead of bathing myself in it all.  I actually have all of the elements posted here in my closet (in some variation or another) and would most certainly throw something like this on for a day of brunch, running errands, studying French, and/or watching my alma mater (Texas Tech University -- GUNS UP!) play.  There's just something about head to toe denim (in varying washes) and a cozy scarf that screams relaxation to me.  

Also, let me just say that up until about a year ago, I NEVER would've paired cognac boots with black.  I am not sure what changed, but I find myself doing it more and more.  Here's to mixing neutrals!

 

colorful.

shirt/skirt: F21, scarf: old Marshall's, tights: Target, lace-up oxfords: Etienne Aigner via Marshall's

The one thing I think about on crisp October mornings is how much I can get away with looking like the trees with their brightly colored leaves.  Is there such a thing as too much with these colors?  I LOVE wearing mustard, burgundy, rust, teal, and cognac, and this time of year I can get away with wearing some combination of those colors all at once...while eating things made with pumpkin and apple.

Growing up in West Texas didn't afford me a real fall season.  It is usually warm until the beginning of November, and at that point the leaves just shrivel up and fall off the trees.  I will never forget my first fall in Maryland and the feeling of being overcome by color.  I was stunned by the shocking yellow of the Ginkgo trees, the electric orange of Maple leaves, and the wine colored red leaves found on countless other trees in this area.  I love that I don't have to look very far to find outfit inspiration here.  It's right outside my window.

**all photography by Sarah Culver

mixing things up.

Photo by Sarah Culver

shirt: Old Navy; skirt: Forever 21 (it is a silk blend!); wedges: DSW; belt: thrifted Coach

Photo by Sarah Culver

Photo by Sarah Culver

I will never forget the first day I realized that the colors in this shirt matched some featured in the skirt.  I think there might've been an audible, "oh YEAH!", muttered under my breath, like I had just read something that seemed true but that I hadn't yet been able to put into words.  It took me a while to work up the courage to actually wear this out in public, however.  It is one thing to mix patterns in a way that seems grown-up, and most people use the word "whimsical" to describe the sorts of outfits that execute pattern mixing well (think Anthropologie or even J. Crew).  It is another thing entirely to look like a five-year-old picked out your outfit, and I suppose I wondered if this particular mixture skewed in that direction.

Either way, I threw it on one day and ventured off to work.  And I adore the way I feel on the days that I wear these pieces together.  I feel fun and alive, youthful but not immature.  It's a good feeling to relish in, and sometimes we all need a bit of whimsy in life, don't you think?

**All photos taken by the SUPER talented Sarah Culver, who I am lucky to call a friend.  :)

“I think hairstyle is the final tip-off whether or not a woman really knows herself.”
                                                                                                             - Hubert de Givenchy

the hair.

Ever since I was a little girl, my hair has been kind of a big deal.  People would stop my mom at the grocery store to comment on the girls with the "thick, red hair".  My sister and I lucked out in the recessive gene department (she has strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes, I got the auburn hair and green eyes -- thanks Mom and Dad!), and there has been no end to the comments about it since we were kids.

The hair is a mixed blessing, however.  Mine is very thick and wavy, and is riddled with awkward cowlicks.  It took me for-eh-verrrr to learn how to tame it in the slightest, which was especially difficult at a longer length.  It soaked up hair products like a plant that hadn't been watered in weeks.  The natural body and texture can at times make my hair poofy; the cowlicks can make it difficult for stylists to cut.  That said, I have had many different cuts ranging from almost elbow length hair with terrible bangs curled under with a 1" curling iron to collar bone length hair with a center part (bad choice!).

Here, follow me on an adventure through styles past:

This is how my hair was styled throughout most of my undergraduate experience.  I believe I instructed the stylist to give me long layers.  I stupidly washed this everyday, which meant that it was always dry and a little frizzy.  Do you see that slight bump at the crown?  That is natural, folks.  I did not tease my hair.  I brushed it.  On a side note, I really miss those frames.

This is the natural texture of my hair, y'all.  And yes, I do miss having hair this length sometimes.  I kept this angled bob for a while in my last year of undergrad.

 

Here I am making an awful face, but my hair is straight.  I had just moved to the east coast to start graduate school and was spending lots of time alone reading, hence the terrifying facial expression here.  

I finally chopped my hair in the winter of 2008 and for some reason started to feel more like myself.  I kept enough length to still wear my hear in its natural state and was reassured in the feeling I had by compliments about how the haircut "looks just right for you".  

This was essentially the same cut as above but with my hair straightened.  Why, yes!  Those are fox "ears"! 

In December of 2008, I decided it was time to go even shorter, so I went in with an asymmetrical cut in mind.  I really liked this cut, but found it difficult to keep up with, so it really only lasted for about three months before I changed things up again.

Every time my hair grows out a little, it gets what I lovingly call "flippy things" around my ears.  In fall of 2009, I was decidedly dealing with hair of a flippy nature.

And this photo begins the quick progression (regression?) to ever shorter hair.  Once I made it here, all I wanted was shorter hair for the ease of styling it.

By the fall of 2010, I was sporting an actual "pixie" cut, which started a strong move towards a different style than I had been sporting before.  Everything I chose was more tailored and much more feminine, probably to offset the boyishness of my hair.  I also started experimenting much more with makeup at this point.

This photo documents the shortest my hair had ever been (up to that point!).  I loved the ease of getting ready but was admittedly self-conscious about exposing so much of my face.

My hair vacillated in between the length in the former photo and what you see here for quite a while.  Around November of 2011, I decided to see what growing out my hair would yield...

And this was as far as I got before deciding that I hated it.  It didn't suit the aesthetic I was going for in my style at all, and despite compliments I was getting from folks, I chopped it all off again in June. 

 
I am not sure if I will get bored and try to grow it out again in the future.  I cannot imagine cutting it shorter than it is now, but we'll see...

so, I went shopping.

Oh, Tax-Free Week...I simultaneously love and hate you.  You always cause me to spend more than I thought I would, but I LOVE what I snapped up today, so I guess it's alright.

We're all on a budget these days, and while I have my share of nicely tailored pieces (mostly found via consignment, eBay, or purchased after months of saving), I can't seem to help picking up items from checking account friendly places like Old Navy, Forever 21, and H&M.  If you know what to look for in terms of construction, material, and cut, I feel like it is possible to make items from these stores last more than one season.  My favorite ponte knit black pencil skirt is something I paid $13 for 3 years ago at F21.  And it looks pretty cute with my grey J.Crew wool blazer, I must say.  

I've been thinking for the last while about what sorts of items I'd like to add to my closet for my favorite season.  My fall wardrobe tends to fall heavily in favor of teals, mustards, wines, and tans, and I kept that in mind as I picked up the items you see above.  I can't wait to mix and match these pieces with what I already have!

Without further ado, here is what I snagged up (clockwise from top left):

Old Navy Rockstar Jeans in Camp Fire wash
Old Navy Rockstar Cords in Aniseed
- I have loved this particular fit in this pant since I discovered it last fall, as they're perfect for tucking into boots or wearing with heels or flats.  They have so many colors in this pant right now -- I encourage you to go try them on for size!
Old Navy Boat-Neck sweater in black/white stripe
F21 basic cream sweater
F21 Essential Sueded Shift Dress
- This dress has the potential to be very versatile.
F21 Double Breasted Knit Blazer (I can't find a link to this...)
F21/Love21 Knee-Length Bodycon Skirt
- So, I'm not sure how work-appropriate this skirt is, but that doesn't mean that I won't try to wear it there.  It's lined and the color is great with browns, greys, or blacks.
F21/Love21 Pintucked Pleats Shirt
F21/Love21 Oversized Y-Neck Top
- I was very excited to find both of these blouses!   I've been looking to incorporate more of these into my wardrobe, and this is a great way to get two colors I adore into further rotation.

I'll likely be purchasing a few other items (like shoes!) in the next couple of months, but I'm really excited about this start to my fall wardrobe!