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Everyday Style & Recipes. Est. 2010

summer fashion

Summer in Blue

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We had a brutal heat wave the last few weeks, and on both coasts that heat has unfortunately continued. Now that it’s returned back to more milder temperatures, I feel like I can finally enjoy Summer again! Recently I stumbled across this 100% cotton midi dress from H&M (on Poshmark) during my pursuit for perfect Summer dresses. Cotton is definitely my jam in the Summer, just because it’s lightweight and breathable. Midi dresses are also great because you don’t have to wear any tights or leggings underneath to cover up. Speaking of which, does anyone else get annoyed by dresses that are so mini they might as well be long shirts? How am I supposed to wear those in the Summer without leggings? The last thing I want to wear on a hot day is leggings, so mini dresses are pretty much out for me in the Summer (kind of ironic, no?) I digress. This dress reminds me a bit of the #cottagecore vibe which may or may not be passe by now. Not really sure what the status is, but I don’t mind keeping a few pieces of that trend around in the future since florals and shirt dresses are pretty much a closet staple of mine. Just out of morbid curiosity, I recently read one of those “what’s OUT of style and will date you in 2021” pieces, and can I just say that the very topic of “what’s in” and “what’s out” feels really….dated to me? Expecting people to throw out perfectly good clothes for the sake of the latest trends is 1. horrible for the environment and 2. an exercise in futility as those trends will just circle back around in a couple years. It would be great if the internet just gave it up already, and let people wear and enjoy whatever they want without being slaves to the latest trends. Sigh, maybe one day.

On a totally separate note, the garden has really taken off this year (pics below). Gotta say I am pretty proud of the rose bushes, they are producing like crazy!

Outfit Details: Dress: H&M (Thrifted from Poshmark); Bag: Etsy; Hat: eBay (Unbranded); Shoes: Free People

High-Low Summer // Demeter Fragrance Review

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It’s almost September and I’m feeling a bit ambivalent since I still have a bunch of Summer looks in the pipeline that I haven’t posted yet, waah. It seems to be always the way where Fall kind of catches up with me. That said, I am so excited to get going on all the Fall things which are just around the corner! It has thankfully cooled down a bit lately but the days still reach well into the mid-upper 80’s. For now, I’m still all about the Summer vibes with this vintage high-low asymmetrical midi dress. Also love the classic t-shirt and skirt combo — there’s just something timeless about it and will always look fresh. This combo is a must have for the toasty weather we’ve had all Summer, especially when you add a pair of comfy sandals to the mix, like these flats from Abercrombie. I also like to add a small belt with skirts to tie everything together. While I am looking forward to Fall looks, I want to try to make Summer last as long as possible!

In other news, I recently tried out a bunch of different Demeter Fragrances. I have to hand it to Demeter, they do a great job at recreating some of the more unique scents in life. They have a dizzying amount of varieties but I selected a few of the ones that I was most curious about. Another cool thing about Demeter are all the formats you can choose from. You can buy each fragrance in a variety of sizes, or as a body wash, diffuser oil, roll-on or even lotion! That’s pretty cool. An overall impression of these fragrances are that they simply don’t linger very long on the skin, but they will stay longer on fabrics. A quick rundown of the ones I tried, from left to right:

Laundromat: This one is spooky accurate. If you’ve ever been inside a commercial laundromat, there’s a heady, humid feeling of wet clothes, detergent and dryer smells that fill the air. I would say this scent captures the atmosphere of the laundromat, rather than fresh laundry if that makes sense. It has quickly turned into one of my favorites and I often use this one to freshen up clothing and bedding. 5/5

Tomato: I grew tomatoes in the garden this year and I love their unique, almost spicy smell. This perfume comes really, really close to mimicking that scent but I wish there was just a little bit more green and peppery vibes. I feel like this perfume evokes the leaves of the plant, rather than the fruit itself which is what I had hoped for. Unfortunately this one has the worst staying power out of the five which is a bummer. Overall, this perfume does convey that essential tomatoey-ness so I definitely recommend if you are also a Tomato fan. 4/5

Fuzzy Navel: This fragrance is one of their more popular scents and they threw this into my order for free which was thoughtful! It’s pretty hard to rate this one since I’m not really into gourmand or fruity fragrances, but it has a very fresh, watery peachy orange scent. I guess this one is meant to capture the alcoholic drink, but I don’t get much of the vodka thing from it. Leaving this unrated since fruity fragrances just aren’t my thing but I wouldn’t knock it either.

Linden: This one is also one of their more popular varieties and there’s good reason for it. Boy, do I love this one. I spray it on my pillow/PJs like every night so yep definitely a fanboy. This fragrance is hard to describe but it’s a little bit greenery, a little bit Summer sunshine with hints of Lily of the Valley. I honestly have no idea what actual Linden blossoms smell like, but this fragrance is absolutely gorgeous. I feel like this one sums up the height of Summer, and I bet I will love this one even more in January to remind myself of warmer and greener times. 5/5

Paperback: I had high hopes for this one and really wondered if they could nail the smell of a fresh paperback book. I pictured this to smell like dust and aged paper (think old book shop) but unfortunately all I got from this was ‘vanilla candle.’ Such a bummer! Maybe I’m missing something, but this fragrance bears no resemblance to a paperback for me. Argh, I am so bummed out by this. I don’t mind the vanilla scent per se, it was just not what I was expecting at all. 2/5

Outfit Details: Shirt: American Eagle; Skirt: Vintage Blue Brand/Thrifted; Shoes: Abercrombie; Bag: LeatherStrata

In Undertow

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I still love festival fashion, even though all festivals are probably canceled for the foreseeable future. For me, festival looks aren’t about showing a ton of skin or getting flashy. I’m all about loose, breezy items that are comfortable to wear on hot days. Of course that means cotton tops, skirts and flats!

This top from Everlane is such a perfect tee for Summer. So lightweight! And I love the fact that it’s sleeveless. It’s been so hot lately (it set a record in Denver last week) that the least amount of fabric as possible is a must. Next up is this fab vintage 80’s skirt found on Etsy. I love Etsy for those vintage finds when you can’t venture into your local thrift store because a certain (ahem) virus has ruined pretty much everything, sigh. One thing great about fashion is that everything worth revisiting usually comes back around again (not you shoulder pads, you’re not allowed). While this pleated floral design is straight out of the 80’s, it seems so new right now!

Destino Flats from Free People
Upslope’s Spiked Seltzer has been a must have drink for Summer!
Outfit Details: Top: Everlane; Skirt: Vintage (Etsy); Shoes: Free People; sunglasses: Ray Ban; hat: unbranded

Babydoll Swing Dress

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I’ve never been a huge fan of babydoll dresses or tank tops as they tend to be a bit unflattering for me personally. I see them on other people and they look great so I think it’s just me! I think I am more of a ‘fit and flare’ gal. This babydoll dress from American Eagle is the exception and I love how it fits. It’s somehow very flattering even though its loose and flowy — not boxy or tented out like I would expect. It’s always nice to be pleasantly surprised by a great fit.

Since it’s been warming up here, I have been wearing this non-stop! It’s so light that it is perfect for hotter days. Seriously, I wore this when it was 89 degrees and it was a life saver. It looks great dressed up or down, as a casual look with sneakers or with heels or sandals. I’m partial to the Converse All-Stars myself. Spring days tend to have colder nights so I paired this with a cozy pullover sweater…perfect for late night bonfires during this gorgeous time of year. Today is Memorial Day and it’s great for a cookout or picnic. Make sure to wear it with a wide brimmed sunhat to protect yourself from those rays!

Outfit Details: Sweater: American Eagle; Dress: American Eagle; Shoes: Converse; Bag: Leather Strata; Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters

Last of Summer

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What do you think of when you think Summer style? I personally think of cut-off jeans, a comfy striped tee, a woven bag and strappy sandals. You can’t get much more Summery than that. This is (I swear) going to by my last Summer post but I had to get one more in. As September goes on, I’m less able to justify open-toed sandals and cut-off jeans. Luckily the days are still warm and sunny so I can still get away with it. This top from American Eagle (a store that I have been absolutely loving recently) has been one of my go-to Summery tees. It’s soft and flowy and looks great with high-rise denim (like these Levi’s cropped jeans).

Next are a couple recent hair and makeup finds that I wanted to highlight. Since I sometimes curl my hair, I wanted to find a loose and flexible hairspray for those occasions. This hairspray from Tresemme is awesome and not your mom’s hairspray from the 80’s. It’s works great for keeping loose curls in place but doesn’t give you that crunchy hairspray feel. It’s super natural and soft which is exactly what I was looking for. Next up is this excellent neutral lip by NYX, an incredibly affordable brand. I love their “Lingerie” line, which offers a soft matte lip in lots of different shades. My favorite so far has been this dusty mauve called “Lace Detail” and it’s great for every day wear and the price point can’t be beat.

Outfit Details: Top: American Eagle; Jeans: Levi’s; Bag: unbranded; sandals: Lucky

Desert Vibes

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Sooo Fall snuck up on me pretty fast and I still have a few more Summer ideas to go through–dang it! Is it just me or has this season gone by way too fast? That’s coming from someone who absolutely loves Fall, but I’m not quite ready for Summer to end just yet. Luckily it’s still been quite warm the last few weeks so it’s still jeans and t-shirt weather during the day. This latest look features one of my favorite desert themed graphic tees from Etsy and these acid wash jeans from Levi’s. Yuuup, they are acid wash. Thought I would never say those words ever but here we are. Gotta say I’m a big fan of this updated offering from Levi’s. It’s like a more mellowed out version of the ugly classic 80’s acid wash. They are also super soft and feel more like leggings than jeans. I don’t like super stiff jeans and these have the perfect amount of stretch. They go great with my favorite pair of Vans sneakers. Now that the nights are getting cold, throw on a pullover and you will be good to go for Fall!

Outfit Details: Jeans: Levi’s 720s; Tee: Etsy – StarkAmbition; Shoes: Vans

Snake Print Dress

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I have no idea how I fell in love with this dress. There are two factors here that would make this so improbable that I can hardly believe it. First off: I HATE snake skin print. To me it’s the heavy hitter of trashiness, second only to leopard print. Hate it. I probably don’t need to explain my reasons, you probably already know and are on the same page. Moving on.

Second: the brand is Abercrombie & Fitch. I actually worked at Abercrombie Kids briefly while I was in high school and let’s just say the brand has come along way since then. They have some awesome, well made clothes for reasonable prices that don’t look like kid-wear. No longer do I see the gaudy “AnF” writing on everything nor do I see the oversized moose insignia stitched on everything. Gotta take my hat off to them for getting me to buy something snake skin, seriously. I mean come on, the pattern is gorgeous though right? Also, another awesome thing with their sizing on this dress: they offer this in tall which they recommend for anyone over 5’8. I’m not over 5’8 but I bought it anyways to get an extra few inches in the length, which paid off. I don’t like mini dresses and having the option to add some inches was great. Another smart touch to this wrap dress was the little snap enclosure. While I love wrap dresses it can be annoying to keep the front always secure so that little snap was a perfect touch. I love all the little details of this dress and it’s great to branch out into something I don’t normally wear!

Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch; Bag: unbranded; shoes: Birkenstock; necklace: Urban Outfitters

Next up is a bit of a makeup experiment. I was curious whether my favorite — but pricey — concealer by NARS (the Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly) could be duped by a more affordable brand. It’s hard to find a perfect tone for fair skinned folks so I thought it would be tough to beat since NARS’ offering is a perfect skin tone match. NYX’s HD Studio Concealer in Porcelain (retails $6) gives a pretty good run for its money though and I was overall very happy with it. The coverage is pretty much the same but maybe slightly less creamy. The tone is a very good match but has a bit more of a pinky tone than NARS. For 1/5 of the price, their dupe is a pretty amazing option. I have tried both as an undereye concealer and am happy with both of them. If you’re a pale person like me and have been on the hunt for a perfect fair skin concealer, try both of these out!

Buy here: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer and NYX HD Studio Photogenic Concealer
The best drought tolerant potted herbs: sage, rosemary and thyme. Great to have around for cooking!

Sky Blue Sky

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Midi skirts and graphic tees have been my jam like all Summer. I think I’ve come to embrace midi and maxi length skirts more than shorter skirts lately. It could be a product of getting older but I just find longer length skirts to be way more flexible in terms of every day wear. I can wear them to work and then go out later and there’s no self-consciousness about the length. To me it’s all about comfort and not feeling self-conscious wherever I am. Skirts that run a bit too short just make me worried about strong gusts (lol) or whether or not I’m dressed appropriately. And ain’t nobody got time for that!

This skirt from Adored Vintage isn’t a color I would normally wear but I’ve come to love the robin’s egg hue. It just happens to be a perfect match with this awesome NASA Tee from Urban Outfitters! Gotta love the old NASA designs. A cool graphic tee works great with most outfits but I love them when paired with more feminine pieces. They’ve become a Summertime staple for me and below are a few of my favorites. Don’t forget the sneakers too!

Outfit Details: Tee: Urban Outfitters; Skirt: Adored Vintage; Shoes: Converse Allstars; bag: Vintage, Gap

Summer Whites & Linen

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The Colorado sun is burning hot this time of year and that calls for lightweight skirts, cold drinks and shady porches. This flowing midi skirt from Adored Vintage is a perfect option for hot Summer days. It’s a bit longer than the typical midi skirt and fits more like a 3/4 maxi. It’s lightweight and flowy–the perfect Summer option! Why wear light colored clothing in the Summer? From what I’ve read, they doesn’t absorb the sun’s rays like black or dark colored clothes. Another Summery material I’ve been a big fan of lately has been linen. Linen is a breathable fabric and great for hotter days. This shirt was a lucky find from Etsy and looks great tied in the front.

Speaking of Etsy, this post is going to be pretty much all about the latest Etsy finds (stores linked at the end of this post). Another recent score was this leather cross-body bag. I’ve been on the hunt for a medium size cross-body/saddle bag and this one has everything I was looking for. It’s also affordable and goes with just about everything, so big win there! I recently upgraded my sun hat from the Etsy shop, LaMar Lifestyle, and it’s a great wide brimmed hat that offers a good amount of sun protection. It’s a must have for pale folks when sun screen just won’t cut it alone. This shop also has the best accessories for your day at the beach, including handwoven mules and beach blankets. It’s worth checking out!

The best affordable peachy rose Summer blush from ELF for the chronically pale. Don’t forget the SPF underneath! Purchase here.
La Mar Lifestyle Etsy shop for beach and sun lovers!
Outfit Details: Top: Vintage, Etsy – PerennialVintage; Skirt: Adored Vintage; Shoes: Lucky Brand; Bag: Etsy – Leather Strata; Hat: Etsy – LaMar Lifestyle

September Blues & Fall Matte Lip Swatch Review

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Happy post Labor Day weekend! Now that we are officially in September, I am super excited for the upcoming season and can’t wait to get started on more Fall related looks.  The nights and mornings have been getting cooler BUT the days have still been in the mid to upper 80s, so dress season is still a thing! Which is a good thing because this blue floral dress from Zaful has been one of my favorite recent additions.  I really don’t have a lot of anything in powder blue and it’s nice to branch out occasionally with something a little different. Its a color that I just don’t really gravitate towards for some reason, but I really love the color and pattern of this one!  As has been the case recently, this woven bag has made another appearance.  It seems to go super well with so many dresses so it’s hard not to include it in a bunch of looks!

Now to change gears a bit–over the years, I have tried a bunch of different matte lip colors and I wanted to showcase which ones have become my regular favorites.  Many of these I use daily, especially the ones with more of a nudey mauve tone that look great for casual everyday looks.  As a certified pale person, I can also vouch that all of these colors look great with fair skin. This post might get long and it’s all about makeup so just a warning!  If you’re a fellow pale person looking for the best lip colors for you, keep on reading! I would rate these lip colors on three different scales: affordability (1-5, 5 being most affordable), color tone (1-5, 5 being best color tone) and durability (1-5, 5 for most durable/longest lasting).  Scroll down for a full review!

Outfit Set:Outfit Details: Dress: Zaful, Bag: eBay, hat: eBay, shoes: Free People

NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams

I wear these ALL the time.  Zurich and Stockholm are similar, however Stockholm has a bit of an orangier tone.  Cannes has been one of my go-to dusty rose colors and is nearly a perfect dupe for the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita. Rome on the far right is a bit of a darker berry color so I wear it more for nights and going out.  It looks darker on lips than on the swatch. Rome has a more vintage 90s look if you’re looking for that too.  As you can see in the final photo, these wash off the most easily but because they are so affordable and the colors are great I can let that one go.

Affordability: 5, Color: 5, Durability: 1

Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink

This one gets high marks because of it’s affordability, durability, and the color Poet is a perfect nude that isn’t super washed out.  I tend to like more pinky nudes and this one fits the bill.  The more beige it is, the more washed out I tend to look so this one is a great nude for pale folks.  It goes on a bit wet but dries fairly quickly.  It’s also one of the most durable and longest lasting ones that I’ve found.

Affordability: 5, Color: 5, Durability: 5

ColourPop Ultra Matte *WINNER*

This one is really impressive in terms of durability and just overall value.  Platform goes on fairly light but somehow turns into a darker dusty pink.  It’s probably the MOST matte above all of the others and is by far the most durable.  I can wear this all day, drink coffee, water, you name it.  It does not come off! The application is lightweight and dries the fastest.  As you can see in the below photo, this one outperformed the others after washing with soap and water.  It’s also one of the most affordable so this one is the winner in my book!

Affordability: 5, Color: 5, Durability: 5

MAC Liptensity

This color is absolutely gorgeous for Fall.  Smoked almond is a gorgeous deeper rust red that is slightly less matte than the others.  It goes on like a more traditional lipstick but you still get that overall matte look.  Since it’s MAC, affordability isn’t great and I was surprised by how much it washed off in my soap and water test.  However, it’s a beautiful, rich color so it gets an overall good rating from me!

Affordability: 2, Color: 5, Durability: 3

ColourPop Metallics

This one isn’t a true matte but it’s not really glossy as advertised.  It goes on very dry and has a matte feel, even though it does have a bit of shimmer.  Growing up in the early 2000s I think I’ve been traumatized by wet lip gloss so I really like this one being dry, while at the same time offering a little shine and shimmer.  Tight Fit is a beautiful metallic with slight orangey pink tones.  It reminds me a little bit of a pink grapefruit skin and looks beautiful on! Slightly less bold of a pigment but that’s okay for me. One of the top performers in durability and affordability.

Affordability: 5, Color: 5, Durability: 4.5

Sephora Luster Matte Lip Color

For all that rich pigment, it sure isn’t durable which is kind of surprising.  I would have thought it would have some staying power.  I wouldn’t call this an every day color for me, but it is beautiful.  It’s a very rich, pigmented orangey red, and looks great if you want a bold look for the evening.  I would call this a semi-matte since it’s not as quick drying as the others.  It is not long lasting at all and tends to smear so I’m careful not to use too much of it at once.  While it’s nice for specific looks, I probably wouldn’t purchase this one again.

Affordability: 3, Color: 4, Durability: 1

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

I really like this pencil.  It’s a true matte and goes on very smooth and dry.  The color Dolce Vita is fantastic and is a rich dusty rose, but if you’re looking for a cheaper option, try NYX’s lip cream in Cannes.  As you can see in the swatches, these colors are nearly identical.  However, it’s not very long lasting and its affordability is so so.

Affordability: 1, Color: 5, Durability: 1