panthera pardus

Love Tree sweater dress (from Marshall's), thrifted leather bag, years old belt, and Forever 21 booties.

For the extremely strange weather we experienced the past two days (yesterday it was 65 degrees!), I thought a sweater dress was appropriate. I really love this one in particular. It's so bold so it doesn't need much more to be a complete outfit. I kept the rest of the styling simple with some trusty black tights and my new booties. They were obviously made to emulate the infamous Acne Atacoma wedges. Since you can't buy those anymore (also, they were $600 - not really in my budget), my 10 dollar version will suffice just fine. I used to be against wearing shoes from Forever 21, but ever since I got my floral Mary Janes I have changed my mind. Some of the shoes are surprisingly well made; some still look like crap. It's hit or miss, but these (and another pair I got for $7) are hits for sure.

Unfortunately, the warm weather has faded and we are back to frigid temperatures. Our two day freedom is over! It's back to snow...yuck.

shine bright, shine far, don't be shy be a star

Forever 21 sweater, Target black jeans, vintage 60's coat, thrifted leather bag, Forever 21 hat, and Target boots.

I never thought I'd find the perfect pair of black jeans at Target. I was perusing the 70% off rack just for fun and found this pair. I tried them on not expecting much and BAM! They fit perfectly. Okay, so maybe the sequin stripes down the sides are a little much (sequins are never too much), but I like to be a little tacky at all times.

The temperatures were still frigid over the weekend so I stuck to my jeans/sweater combo. It's really the only kind of outfit I can stand to wear when it's 12 degrees. I got to take my new hat and sweater out for a spin and was super-excited. I got them at Forever 21's extra 50% off clearance sale. The sweater was $7 and the hat was $5. I was blown away!

It's supposed to be a little warmer the next few days so I plan on wearing a ton of seasonally-inappropriate clothes.

dollar tree beauty finds: elf eyeliner pen

I know that this ELF eyeliner is a dollar everywhere but before our area carried ELF products, the only place to find it was Dollar Tree. I tried my very first ELF cosmetic items when I bought some on a whim - ever since then I've been hooked.

Let me tell you a little secret: this eyeliner pen is not waterproof like it says. Other than that, there really isn't anything disappointing about this product. If you're looking for an easy way to get the liquid eyeliner look, this is perfect for you. It glides on easy, is very pigmented, and has incredible staying power. It almost feels like you're drawing with a Sharpie.

Whether you're a liquid pro or looking to try out cat eyes for the first time, it's a great gem for $1!

hot lips

 






M Missoni dress, thrifted H&M blouse, Target tights, thrifted leather bag, Forever 21 key ring, Hot Topic black diamond ring, and Sam Edelman Zoe boots.

My mom gave me this dress as a Little Christmas present right on the heels of the news that Vittorio Missoni was missing. It's so sad that he's still missing and that this case has become so strange. I hope that he's still out there - it would be a very saddening loss to the fashion world.

Being the bargain-hunter that made me so frugal, my mom grabbed this amazing number off eBay. It's so easy and comfortable to wear. I threw it on over a light blouse on a surprisingly warm Saturday to grab lunch at my favorite buffet. Brian and I hadn't been there in months and I had forgotten how good it was. Sometimes a girl needs to stuff her face full of fresh hibachi and egg tarts. I'll probably be back this weekend for a repeat binge.

Well, if you're experiencing the sub-zero temperatures we are, I hope you're staying warm. There's one thing I know for sure: I won't be wearing a dress for awhile.

the path of needles or the path of pins

Vintage 1950's coat, thrifted jeans, thrifted Ann Taylor sweater, thrifted bag, Lane Bryant sunglasses and Charlotte Russe boots.

This coat and I are definitely having a moment. I bought it back in October when it was really inappropriate to wear it. I finally got to wear it today since temperatures only peaked at 20 degrees. I had dreams of pairing this coat with a pretty dress, but the weather got in the way. Sometimes the only way to stay warm is by sticking with jeans.
This coat is just amazing to me. It's made of the nicest wool and the velvet accents are to die for. It looks like it was never worn and now has a happy place to stay with the rest of my coats. I felt a little like Red Riding Hood wearing it.
I kept the rest of my outfit simple because I was running errands all day and my coat would be the statement piece.

These boots finally got to take a spin, after sitting in my closet for 2 years. I obviously don't wear them enough. They're comfortable, warm, and super cute. Also, these sunglasses are my new favorites. I got them last week for $2 at the outlet mall. What a great deal.

Well, I hope you have an amazing weekend. I just got loads of goodies at Forever 21's half off clearance sale!

dollar tree beauty finds: maybelline great wear lip color

Being a beauty addict can be very expensive. Every girl (or boy) who is one can tell you that. The goal of this new segment on my blog is to help you save a couple bucks, but still get great products. That way you can take those dollars you saved and buy something you really need, like shoes (oh wait, that's just me).

When I was a little girl, my mom used to take me to this magical store called Dollar Tree. She would buy me little statues of ballerinas or tiny boxes to store my vending machine jewelry (she got me hooked on knick-knacks early). Even into my teens, a trip to Dollar Tree was something to look forward to. Now that I'm adult (or rather pretending to be an adult), I still love to find hidden gems there. Experimenting with products is easy, because it only costs a buck and if you hate it, it's not like you spent a fortune. I've found a lot of my regular beauty products there and I'm proud to say it. This week I'll start off with my recent beauty jackpot.

Even though I own way more lipsticks than I should, I'm pretty particular about them. I like high-end lipsticks and cheap ones. I won't settle on a cheap one if it doesn't perform like a high-end lippie. That being said, when I saw these Maybelline Great Wear lipsticks hanging in the cosmetic aisle, I had to try one out. Turns out I like it so much I went and got three more shades.

(From left to right): Garnet, Autumn, Berry, and Cocktail Orange.

Please excuse my poor application. Don't ever try to put on lipstick with shaky coffee hands!

Maybelline Great Wear in Garnet


Maybelline Great Wear in Autumn


Maybelline Great Wear in Berry


Maybelline Great Wear in Cocktail Orange

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting anything spectacular. Maybelline is not one of my favorite drugstore brands and I never have been wowed by any of their products. To my surprise, these lipsticks weren't bad at all (maybe my low expectations paid off). They have an incredibly matte finish, which I didn't expect. I would say they are as matte as Mac's Ruby Woo (the most matte lipstick I can find). Even though they are so matte, they feel great on the lips. After awhile they do start to dry out, so carry some lip balm! They're staying power is great, which I know some women view as a necessity when it comes to their lipsticks. Berry will be a great everyday shade come Spring, and Cocktail Orange will be fun for the summer.
What I don't like is the shade variation. All the colors are very similar - Autumn and Garnet are almost identical. I probably won't get much use out of one of them. Also, if you have dry lips (like me) you will need to prep your lips with a balm. Matte lipsticks are known for showing dry patches and for drying out your lips in general and these are no exception.

Overall, a tad drying and not a wide shade selection would not stop me from repurchasing at a mere dollar. I would probably go back to choose between Autumn or Garnet.
I hope this helps you score some awesome and super-cheap lipstick at your local dollar store!