My Little Secret

I really love makeup but I really hate spending $15+ dollars on it. That is mostly because I would rather buy a pair of boots or a new top and just buy the cheaper makeup. However, cheaper can be risky.

I saw E.L.F. makeup at Target and thought to myself "There is NO way that stuff isn't crap"... well it turns out I was wrong. I know a lot of people who like to buy super high quality make up and don't mind spending the money on it will probably have lots of reasons why I shouldn't use this brand or why it's so lame that I would buy that brand, but I don't really care because I like it and it's dirt cheap y'all.

So, if you are anything like me and have a hard time shelling out big bucks for make up then listen up because you will love me forever for this. I will say that I do spend a little bit more money on foundation or tinted moisturizers because I can have sensitive skin and cheap foundation can wreak havoc with my skin sometimes. I buy my foundation and tinted moisturizers at Sephora and just stick with the Sephora brand because it's cheaper but still works really well.

I haven't tried everything they have, and I probably won't try everything they have, but here's what I have tried and loved. The best part about this cosmetic line is that you can buy some new makeup just for fun and not feel bad if you don't end up using it very often.



1). This is my newest find and I love it. It's a lip exfoliator that smells like vanilla and really works. I use it at least once a day and my lips have shown huge improvement. My lips get really dry and this helps get rid of the dead skin so that my chap stick actually gets through. Also, it is $3. Yay!

2). I bought this one awhile ago and I don't use it all the time, but it's really nice to have with you when your make up needs a little pick me up towards the end of the day. It's got some shimmer to it so be careful how much you use it and where you use it. I put it on my cheeks and it makes them all nice and glow-y looking. This is only $1. Yep.

3). This is the first product I bought from E.L.F and I really liked it. This is an eyebrow pallet that doesn't make your eyebrows look heavy and too dark after it's put on. This is also $3.

So, there you go. My little secret. Now, go! Enjoy!

Is It Fall Yet?

I don't think it's any surprise to those of you who have been reading my blog since the beginning that I love Fall. I love pumpkin, I love boots, I love not being hot when wearing clothes, I love sweaters, I love scarves, and I love dresses with tights... just to name a few things about Fall that I love. Sadly, I live in Southern California which is basically code for "no fall for you!" It's sad, and something I whine about every single year about this time. My husband is from western North Carolina and so now not only do I have to live with the fact that I don't really get Fall, but I have to put up with hearing about how gorgeous it is and how the leaves are turning gorgeous shades of red and yellow and the weather is changing and it's crisp and cool and blah blah blah... Also it means that my poor husband has to put up with Southern California's lack of a Fall after spending his whole life in North Carolina and Virginia before moving out here. At least I don't really know what I'm missing!

I have hope this year once again that we will have Fall. I am NOT giving up. I will never give up. Here's my reasoning: For starters, usually around this time of year it is over 100 degrees outside consistently. This year, it is not. It was early on in June and July, but that was about it. I have decided that this means that Southern California has decided to not torture us all with a 6 month summer, but let us gradually slip into that most glorious of seasons in September like most of the country does. I know, I know you all think I'm crazy but I will not give up hope! I am hopeful that by the time my daughter comes in September that we will no longer have 80 degree days and we will start to see the leaves and the air changing. Is this starting to sound like an "I Have a Dream" speech? I'm telling you, I really love Fall!

So, now that you know how deeply passionate I am about Fall, you can also understand how deeply passionate I am about Fall clothing. It really is just the best. Most the time it doesn't require big heavy coats that are annoying when you are going in and out of stores running errands, and usually it means apple pie... oh wait, that doesn't have to do with clothing... but still, I feel it's important. I've put together a little teaser to make you all want Fall weather as badly as I do.




How gorgeous and easy is this? Anyone can put this look together as long as you have classic pieces. I know those tights might be a little too funky for some people's taste, so if you prefer just simple black tights then go for it! I just thought they were fun and added a little unique detail to the outfit. If you are still under the belief that black and brown don't go together, then you are just wrong and should move past that belief and embrace the fact that black and brown (especially black and paler tones of brown) are glorious together and super classy.

When working with simple and classic pieces you can throw in little bits of personality if you want. I put in the leopard belt because I love leopard print and I love how the belt is still muted and not overwhelming, but adds a bit of fun detail. You could totally use a brown belt or not wear a belt at all depending on the style of black dress you have.

Note on dress length: If you are 50 and over it's probably best to keep the dress knee length. If you are wearing heeled boots with it you could even go just below your knee (not with flat boots though!). It also depends on the height of your boot. You don't want the top of the boot shaft and the hem of your dress to meet in this situation.

If you are under 50 and comfortable with it you could go mid thigh to knee length on your dress. Just use your best judgement on what is too short and too tight (that goes for all of you!!). This outfit could go from classy to trampy pretty quickly if you wear a dress that is too tight or too short (or worse, both!).

So, in closing... Keep it classy Southern Creative readers, keep it classy.

Be honest, how many of you wish it was cool enough to wear this outfit now?

Would Somebody Please Just Hug Miley Cyrus...

Well, I'm pretty sure I already failed on my promise to you to try and write 3 times a week... yes. I definitely failed on that.

Today I am making a public service announcement. PANTS ARE NECESSARY PEOPLE! Please please please do not attempt to follow in the footsteps of a certain starlet on the verge of a breakdown (*cough**cough* Miley Cyrus).

The pantsless-ness must stop. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD MAKE IT STOP! Maybe she suffered some sort of brain injury that makes her think that she's Pink now, not Miley Cyrus... yes, maybe that's it. I don't know when diaper-like fuzzy "shorts" became an acceptable alternative to pants but she doesn't stop there. It just keeps getting worse. WARNING: these pictures are frightening.

The first time I saw her in her new ever pantsless state was on the Today Show or Good Morning America or something like that. She was wearing the white fuzzy diaper dealy with thigh high black stiletto boots... Thigh high boots are also NOT PANTS. This other version of her pantsless performance wear has dropped the pretense of wearing shorts that are really not shorts and has gone full on underwear with thigh high boots and a weird jacket. I don't understand. Can someone help me?

There are endless pictures of her pantslessness which allowed me to discover that this problem began before she shaved her hair all off and decided she was no longer going to be "wholesome" because that's just not her anymore. I thought it came after the hair... I guess you ditch your pants first and then do your hair to match your now "edgier" look.

I've never been a Miley fan because I've never seen any real talent come out of her, but what is really bothering me now is that this girl is on the edge of a break down and nobody seems to care. They all praise her for her "transformation" and "being true to herself" but nobody has sat down and said "Sweetheart, do you need a hug?" Have you listened to her latest song? If you haven't, don't. It's incredibly sad to see her new self and watch her try desperately to convince herself and the world that she's ok. Sadly, these are some of her less scandalous and borderline porn star looks she's worn over the past year.

Miley, if you can't bring yourself to put pants on in the morning it's ok... we've all been there. However, it would probably be best to muster the strength to do so before you perform on national television. Just sayin'.

I bring all this to your attention to remind everyone that pants are not optional (unless of course your nether regions are covered by a dress or skirt... and I mean actually covered!). Do you hear me? NOT OPTIONAL!

You're Still Here?

I can't believe any of you are still here! Thanks for stopping by even when I fail to write for 4 months. Seriously. Thank you!

I've made it one of my goals to write 4 days a week until the baby comes, and then we'll see what I can muster. So, with that said, what do you want to know? We haven't done a Q&A in awhile, so I thought that help to give me some ideas since right now clothes are my arch nemesis. Let's just say being just about 8 months pregnant in the California heat of July is not making me a happy camper. It's only going to get worse around these parts so I'm just trying to find some clothes that fit me and don't make me feel claustrophobic. I have an idea! To all of my readers who have been pregnant during the summer, what did you wear? I would be especially interested to hear what you wore if you carried your baby really low like I am. I'd love to hear what you wore and what you did to survive summer!

I have never been an every day dress wearer, so it's hard for me that the things that seem to work the best are dresses. I miss pants. I really do. We will have a sweet sweet reunion after the heat subsides a bit and this super active little munchkin is finally here.

So, ask lots of questions and if you've been pregnant in the summer tell me how you survived! We'll get this train rolling again, I promise!

Real Beauty and Real Insecurity

*Disclaimer: This is not a political/ethical statement about Dove or any of its parent/sister companies. I am not addressing what Dove as a company supports or the ingredients they use in their product. Please do not go into that in the comments of this post. Let's just keep this encouraging and focused on the point. Real beauty.

About a week ago Dove posted a promo video for their "Real Beauty" campaign that showed a few different women describing themselves to an artist who couldn't see them. Then the artist had another woman from the group (and one guy) describe that same woman so he could sketch a second picture. It was designed to show that what most women see when they look in the mirror is not what other people see. This seems like a very universal truth. For the most part, I don't know a single woman who sees themselves accurately. I don't know a single woman who doesn't see at least 10 "flaws" when they look at themselves in the mirror. Most of these flaws they see are invisible to everyone else, and as Dove was trying to portray, these flaws don't only not exist, but they are seen as something beautiful by another person.

We as a culture (and maybe a gender) are professional flaw finders. We can look at something and find at least one flaw in its make up in about 5 seconds. This video was unfortunately not immune. What was meant to be a statement about how women are more beautiful then they think they are, and an encouragement for women everywhere to see their unique qualities as something beautiful that sets them apart and makes them uniquely them was analyzed and made out to be something that was saying that only blonde, thin, 20-40 something women are beautiful (this was done by some, definitely not all).  It broke my heart a little bit when I saw that kind of reaction. Sure, maybe Dove could have used more ethnically diverse women or older women or heavier women, but I think if we focus on that flaw in the video we are missing the point entirely. The point is that even women who we see as flawless (i.e. too perfect to be part of a campaign for "real women"), see themselves as deeply flawed when it comes to their appearance. We watch that video and think "none of these women have anything to be insecure about" or "this isn't a good 'cross section' of the ethnic diversity in America and the world", and we are just perpetuating the need for these kind of campaigns. Why do we think we can look at a woman and say "she has no reason to be insecure"? Who gave us the ability to see into a person's deepest hurt and insecurity?

I think it's safe to assume that all women could benefit from this. If you have problems with the ethnicities of these women, then get passed it and put yourself in the situation these women were put in. Don't put up the wall of deciding this isn't worth listening to. How would you describe yourself? How do you think other women would describe you? I think you'd be shocked to see the difference.

We may never be "perfect" but who decides the definition of perfect anyway? What you may see as a flaw, other women envy. I think that says something about our beliefs that there is a certain measurable standard of beauty. We have bought into the lie that being rail thin, blonde, having perfectly thick and shiny hair, long shapely legs, perfect arms, and a flat stomach is the final stamp of approval for beauty. Who made that decision and why are we listening to them? Why are we wasting precious hours of our lives striving to be physically perfect when lets face it, according to that standard, time is working against us and it's going to win. Why not embrace our body's God-given design and strive to live our lives in a healthy, vibrant, and joy-filled way. How much more time would we have for other's if we stopped spending so much time with our insecurities?

If you haven't seen the video, you can watch it here.  Keep in mind, real women come in all shapes, skin colors, and ages. Including the one's we may think are two thin to be "real".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk

All in all, I think Dove deserves applause for at least attempting to portray real women in their commercials and to spread a message that women in our world desperately need. Child, you are more beautiful than you think.

No One Can See Your Tag.. Just Buy Clothes That Fit.

I was going through my clothes the other day in order to decide what I really need to get rid of and what I want to keep for post baby. This is when it hit me. Almost none of my clothes are the same size. None!! Since High School my pants sizes have ranged from a size 6 to a size 12 depending on the brand. Dresses range from size 2 to size 12, and I don't even want to talk about how different my skirt sizes are. So in order to keep my sanity, this is my new mantra when it comes to buying clothes: "No one can see your tag, so just buy clothes that fit." In other words, we have to let go of our preconceived notions about what size we should be because that is an impossible number to attain. Sizes change from designer to designer and sadly, from one pair of pants to another. Because clothes are sewn, they can be sewn differently each time.

Alas, we just have to try things on and try them on and try them on. Don't worry about the size! It doesn't mean you've gained weight, and sadly sometimes it doesn't mean you've lost weight. I struggle with this every time I go shopping (not so much now because I have this large belly situation going on for awhile longer!), and it is totally understandable. However, you can either spend your life freaking out over what size you think you are or should be, or you can make a decision to buy clothes that fit regardless of what the tag says. Why should the tag matter? If you are healthy, happy, and confident then get clothes that fit and walk out of that store with your head held high because your worth has nothing to do with what that tag says anyway.

Who wants to join my "who cares what that tag says" club?

The One Where I Attempt to Help You Feel Better In Your Clothes During the Early Stages of Your Pregnancy.

I've been thinking about how I would write about pregnancy fashion since I'm now trying to figure out how to dress my new shape without buying an entirely new wardrobe. It's not easy! I'm just under 4 months along so I'm finally getting to the point where my belly looks like a pregnant belly instead of a chubby belly, but it's still not quite formed enough for me to be super comfortable in everything. Can any of you other pregnant or formerly pregnant ladies relate to the feeling that maternity clothes don't quite work yet and normal clothes are just about not working either? I'm sure you've wondered the same thing "If these clothes don't fit... and these clothes don't fit... WHAT THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO WEAR?!?!" Especially since people frown on nudity in public.

I decided instead of telling you what to wear, I would tell you a couple things that have gotten me through the first few months where most people are still giving you the "Is she pregnant or does she just really like cake..." look.

1). H&M: Once again, this gem of a store comes through. The only downside to H&M is that their normally small sizes don't change at all for maternity. I am actually the exact same size in maternity pants that I am in normal pants there. So, if you already know you fit in their pants (which i'm telling you, don't feel bad if you don't because I'm pretty sure their designers do the majority of their sketches using stick people) then you will fit just splendidly in their maternity pants. Even in maternity pants I have the problem with the waist being to big in order to fit my thighs right but I'm coming to terms with my lot in life... i.e. constantly pulling up my pants.

The maternity section (atleast in Temecula) is very small and doesn't have a huge selection so you won't be able to find everything you need there but it's still pretty cheap and has some cute things. It's also in the same section as the baby clothes, which is just rude. How am I supposed to not buy baby clothes when H&M is flaunting them in front of me like that?

I discovered yesterday that H&M's tank dresses (they look like uber long tank tops) might possibly get me through being pregnant in the Southern California heat this summer. Them, and the beach. I always assumed they would be about mid thigh length and something only to be warn over leggings, but I bought one yesterday and tried it on and it's actually almost knee length and thick enough to be worn on it's own. Unless you are one of those sick people who stays their tiny size zero self even with a baby belly *cough cough* my sister in law *cough cough*, it's definitely a "wait until your belly really pops out" piece of clothing. I am almost to the point where I could wear it comfortably and not be concerned that people think I've just got a food baby. Nevertheless, it's beyond comfortable.

2). Target: Target has finally figured out how to make women feel better about themselves when trying on pants... but only if your pregnant. Target's sizes are notoriously odd when it comes to pants, but they are awesome when it comes to maternity pants. I found two pairs of jeans there both in a size smaller than I had been wearing before I got pregnant. Nobody say a word about how they probably oversize those because I like the world i'm living in. They don't have a ton of options, but they have some good capris. I'm tempted by the mint green ones every time, but I figure I probably don't need another pair of pants I won't be able to wear after the baby comes. Who knows what I'll feel like wearing when the next baby rolls around! The other great buy at Target is their maternity leggings. They are super comfy because they have the belly band that doesn't cut off all circulation to your upper extremities like normal waste bands do now.

So, those are my two non-maternity only stores that are cheap and convenient and don't make you feel like the frump monster. Any maxi dress (with stretch) is also fantastically wonderful now that the weather is warming up here (hang in there the rest of the country!). Also, I think I'll be buying several different swimsuit coverups that aren't see through and existing primarily in those and bathings suits while i'm at home during the summer. Sound like a plan?

I hope this helps some of you who are also in the early stages of pregnancy. I'll post more on pregnancy stuff as my pregnancy progresses, but remember that your style itself doesn't need to change because your pregnant. It may just take some tweaking to make it work with that lovely bump that is now protruding from your abdomen.

3 Styles That Never Looked Good and Never Will... So Just Stop.

There are just some styles that never should have made it beyond the sketchpad, but unfortunately they did and they subjected our bodies to horrible, horrible things. The worst part is that we thought most of these horrific styles had, for the most part, finally let us dress in peace... we were wrong. They're back!! You may have noticed that lately some people have started to look like a somewhat strange mash up of 80's, hippie, bohemian, punk. Don't get me wrong, I love eclectic, but eclectic doesn't work when your clothes are not flattering. Let's take a journey through the land of styles that will make you want to scratch your retinas out. I promise, it'll be fun!

1). High Waisted 80's Shorts:

Seriously. Has this look EVER been flattering? Who brought it back and why do they hate women? I know it's "the thing" right now, primarily with high school girls and early college age women, but that doesn't make it right. I am not opposed to all high-waisted shorts necessarily, some are cute. I am, however, opposed to high-waisted shorts that create the dreaded camel-toe, emphasize lower stomach area pooch (even if you don't normally have it, you will in these shorts), and probably the worst of all... the under-butt cleavage. You all know what I mean, and you know it's bad. I left the butt cleavage out of the examples... no one needs to see that. The girls in these photos are all thin and could probably pull off any look, and yet... they all look awful. And a little hunched over, or stuffed in. Please make it stop.

2). Leggings as Pants:

I would have thought that we would have learned our lesson about leggings with stirrup pants, but apparently we didn't. Well, at least we learned that leggings that some how floated off your legs and then strapped around your feet were a bad idea. I am definitely not opposed to leggings as a whole cause I think they have a definite place in our wardrobes, but that place is not as your sole means of covering your lower extremities. Solving this problem is as simple as wearing a tunic style shirt over leggings instead of a regular t-shirt or one of those square-ish cropped shirts. Wear them under a dress that is maybe a little to short or it's a little to cold outside for said dress. Wear them under those fun cute stretchy tube skirt things at H&M that are about 5 bucks. Seriously, cheap, versatile, cute, and they don't allow us to see a hint of skin under your leggings.

The photo in the middle is actress Olivia Wilde, no one will argue that homegirl is in great shape... however, even she can't pull this off.  Once again, the dreaded camel-toe raises its ugly head. The last photo is a great example of how to wear leggings and look adorable. You can thank me now for the photos I spared you from. Also, leggings with cutouts are even less pants than normal leggings.

3). Linebacker shoulder pads:

You may not believe me, but those giant angled shoulder pads are attempting to make a comeback. They have been showing up on runways and I'm scared. Hopefully, this will be one of those comebacks that never really leaves the runways and the Kardashians. We can only hope. I don't think I really need to explain to you why oversized shoulder pads are a bad idea. Do I? Let's just say, it may make your waist look smaller, but only at the expense of your shoulders.  For some odd reason not only are shoulder pads in general made a comeback, but they've come back as their futuristic cousins that are meant to be some sort of cheese-ball alien movie. Why do they now have points?!

Some shoulder pads are actually acceptable and somewhat helpful if you have small or narrow shoulders that don't fill out a tailored suit jacket or suit dress. Just a slight shoulder pad can help to balance out your tiny shoulder woes, but don't get crazy. None of these are good examples by the way. I'm too scared of the pointy shoulders to put a good example up here, they might kill it.

So there you have it. The top 3 looks that have never looked good and never will so please just stop. So what about you? What styles do you wish would just stop?

Someday I'll Have a Closet Big Enough to See What Clothes I have...

How often do you feel like there is absolutely NOTHING in your closet that goes together? I feel that way at least twice a week. Today is one of those days. When did I end up with absolutely nothing that works together? I thought I had things and then all of the sudden.... nothing. I have plenty of clothes, that is definitely not the problem, I just don't appear to have some necessary basics anymore. Do you ever wonder where your clothes run off to sometime? I do. I wonder what crazy things they are doing... My other conundrum is shear lack of space for the clothes and accessories that haven't up and left me.

Tonight my mission is basics. I am heading to Target and restocking my basic white and black long sleeve shirts. Sunday, I am pulling every bit of my clothing out of my closet and dressers that are still at my parents house and everything that is still in suitcases here at our new apartment and figuring out what must stay and what must go. I hate getting rid of clothes. I am always convinced that I'm going to need them the second I let them go. I also have a tendency to believe that my clothes have feelings and they are sad when I reject them. That's right. I'm not ashamed! The main reason for having to go through my clothes and seriously think about what I have is so that my husband can still live in our apartment and own more than one pair of pants and a shirt. The things I do for him.

I wonder how he'd feel about turning our guest room/office into a closet...

I Have the Answer to Your Medium Warmth Needs

First of all, my sincerest apologies for taking almost two months off without a warning. It wasn't really planned, and let's be honest I didn't realize it had been that long. I am going to blame it on the fact that it's been really hot and I don't like clothes as much when it's hot, and I'm getting married in just over two weeks. So, there are my excuses. Now for the new post!

Fall is finally upon us and the weather is starting to cool off in almost everywhere in the county. Don't get me started on how slow California is when it comes to fall.... Anywho, when the weather starts to get cold but not cold enough for a full coat what do you do? Yes, you could wear sweaters all the time or just long sleeves but sometimes you need just a bit more than that. I have your answer.

You've got great jeans, a simple long sleeve shirt, boots, a great bag, and a fun scarf. Alas, there is something missing. You want to be a little warmer but it's not cold enough for a full jacket. The answer to your conundrum is... a puffy vest!! They are the best. I love them. So so much. They are so versatile and comfy and they keep you just right amount of warm without the bulk.

There are so many options when it comes to vests. Bright colors, dark colors, prints, different fabrics, hood, no hood, super puffy, not very puffy, fur, no fur, tapered, not tapered... so many options!! I really like the orange one and the blue and bright green. I have a black vest that is tapered in at the waist like the brown one and has a hood like that too that is removable. I have worn that thing to death. I'm still refusing to retire it until it literally falls off of me. With the outfit above I would recommend the brown or purple vests (although the print one would work too!). Correction, I would recommend one like the brown vest because that one is over 1000 dollars.

So there you have it. Puffy vests are the way to go. Also, just a side note: There is nothing in the outfit I put together that costs more than 50 bucks. And yes, I do love combat boots. Just make sure your jeans are narrow at the ankle or else they will bunch and give you a pantaloon look, and we all know that's not a good look.

I will probably not write again until after the wedding... just keeping it real y'all.