Look for Less: Colored Skinny Jeans

8.15.11 UPDATE:  Just found these colored jeans on Forever 21 for only $24.90!  I'm still waiting on my Asos jeans to arrive - but I can not pass up a deal like this so I will definitely be ordering my other color choices from here!

Source

Colored denim is HUGE for fall.  Lines like Rag and Bone seem to have the monopoly on amazing colored skinny jeans but they come with a hefty pricetag of $165.  Seeing how this is surely a passing trend, I refuse to pay that much for something that will be out of fashion in a couple months.  So I have searched high and low for this trend on a budget. My personal fave is the Cobalt Blue as seen below on my fave fashion blogger (I am Stylish):



Source



Hers are Rag and Bone:

Rag and Bone Skinny Jeans in Cobalt

Now here are the jeans I excitedly just ordered from my fave online store Asos:

ASOS Cobalt Blue Skinny Jeans

The jeans from ASOS look exactly the same and retail for only $60!  What's even better is ASOS has FREE Shipping on all items.  If Cobalt Blue isn't your thing, check out ASOS's wide variety of colors.  My second faves are the mustard and the purple.

I would definitely scoop these up before this trend is gone!

xoxo-
Amanda

Wedding Wednesday - Recipe Gurl Gets Hitched

Seeing how I'm a Special Event/Wedding Planner and my best friend is getting married next year, we decided to create a new series called "Wedding Wednesdays'.  Every Wednesday we will post our ideas and tips on all things having to do with planning your own very chic, yet affordable Wedding. 

xoxo- Amanda

First up: INVITATIONS

So for all of you brides out there on a budget, be prepared to follow me on my journey of nickel and diming my way through this ridiculously expensive tradition…

My first tip…make your own invitations. Find super cute templates here.  This website allows you to customize colors and fonts to fit your style all for only $25!!! You can print save the dates, invitations, rsvp cards, envelopes, programs, and more. All you are responsible for is printing them out, which you can do on your own printer at home! There are also video tutorials for how to do it all. Amazing….here is the invitation I picked out, after I customize it I plan to start the printing project in early November. All you need is some bottles of wine, good music, a good friend to help, and you have all of your wedding invitations for $25?! Um, yes please, sounds like a fun weekend to me! I’ll keep you posted on how the project goes and other ways to cheat your way through these money robbing nuptials.   Check out the template I'm currently in love with:

Source

xoxo - Katina

Look for Less: Nail Polish

If you stay up to date with current nail polish trends, you will see that metallics are hitting the fall 2011 Runways hard.  Metallics in any color are big, but metallics in metal colors like gold, bronze and  graphite are huge.  I absolutely love this trend but refuse to spend my paycheck for these 'designer' nail polishes.  It's no secret that I have a new fond appreciation for Revlon polish - but when I saw their three new metallic polishes today, it was true love.  For just $3.99 a pop you can have the Runway look but at the Revlon price:

Silver Dollar, Gold Coin & Copper Penny

Now look - you can barely tell the difference between the Revlon shades and the Chanel Metallics below.  The only difference, Chanel polish retails for $25 a pop.  I mean, really?? 

Quartz, Peridot and Graphite

You can buy all three of the Revlon polishes and still not even come close to what one Chanel polish cost.  Thank you Revlon, I am now forever devoted.

Recipe Gurl's Non-Recipe Top 5

So I decided to branch out of my comfort zone and write about my top 5 favorite beauty products. They are five things I can’t live without so I just had to share them with everybody.  Enjoy!

NUMBER FIVE:

Benefit Powderflage

I don’t know if anyone else has this problem, but I have tried a zillion different under eye concealers and they all seem to cake under my eye and never look smooth. So I have discovered this amazing product. No matter what eye concealer you use, you just brush a little bit of this powderflage over it and it smoothes your concealer out and brightens up your under eye area.

NUMBER FOUR:

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

This stuff is amazing. Whenever I get a manicure in a salon I always bring it with me and put it on top right before I leave, because even the stuff they use in the salon isn’t even as good as this stuff. By the time you’re finished putting it on all 10 of your fingers they will be dry, seriously. I want to be a Seche Vite sales rep and sell this product to all of the nail salons in my area, I would make a killing.

NUMBER THREE:

Meaningful Beauty Products

So I’m going out on a limb with this one just a bit. So I used to use Proactiv to keep my acne at bay, but now that I’m pushing 30 I feel like it’s time to switch over from the adult acne control products and move on to the preventative aging products. I just started using these products a week ago, but so far, most of the claims they have made on their infomercial (yes, I found saw this on an infomercial, but that’s how Proactiv started, and anyone who has ever has acne and tried it, knows it works!) and their website are true. My skin really does feel tighter and it just has an all over glow to it. I said I was going out on a little bit of a limb just because I’ve only been using it for a week, buuut so far so good, I might do a Meaningful Beauty update in a couple months…

NUMBER TWO:

Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection

I was skeptical of this product when I first bought it just because it seemed like everything was so shimmery, and I don’t really like the shimmery makeup look, I like the more natural makeup look. I was pleasantly surprised that it does really perfect your complexion and gives you a natural look, the key is to not have a heavy hand with any of the colors. Plus, I love Too Faced products because they always give you directions with pictures, and diagrams to spell out for you exactly where to put each shade. And not to mention the compact is really cute, and lasts a while. I bought this in the beginning of April and still don’t need a new one.

NUMBER ONE

Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo

This is my number one, absolute, can’t live without, favorite beauty product. If I was stuck on a stranded island or was unable to shower for days, this would be the one product I would have to have. One spritz on your roots takes away any grease and gives your hair volume. For those of you who are fans of not washing your hair everyday, this is the product for you. I would also recommend carrying around a bottle in your purse for long nights out when you need to freshen up. This stuff makes you feel fresh and look like you have just washed you hair, even if you haven’t done a thing to it in days.

Latest Obsessions

So it's been awhile since I've posted anything.  Frankly, I've been far too busy online shopping and stalking other blogs to work on my own!  The plus side of my hiatus is that I have found new blogs and shopping websites that I can no longer live without.  Here are my latest obsessions:


1.  Homedecorators.com - Um, excuse me - where has this website been my whole life?!  I've always loved  Overstock.com for finding great buys for the home - but this website takes online bargain shopping to a whole new chic level.  Here are just a few delicious items I have to have:

Reflections Lyre Cabinet

This little gem is a part of the "Reflections" Collection that has the most gorgeous pieces for the home and are all under $600!  I plan on scooping this cabinet up for my family room in lieu of the norm Entertainment Center.  Since the wall where my TV lives is so large, I plan on flanking both sides of the cabinet with two of these bookshelves from the same collection:

Reflections Cabinet

I also fell in love with this ornate mirror I plan on using in my entry-way.  

Louis Mirror

There are so many things I could post from homedecorators.com but I'd rather you take a look for yourself.  The website really does have something for everyone's style and budget.  


2.  6th Street Design School by Kirsten Krason.  If a blog could be my soulmate, this blog would be it.  It's as if this Utah-based Interior Designer has a direct tap into my brain, heart, soul and design aesthetic.  I stumbled across this design board on my other love, Pinterest and it was love at first sight:  

I am using the above Design Board for my Family Room Inspiration.  Can't you envision the White Reflections Cabinet and Bookshelves amidst this gray and turquoise perfection?  I may swap out the insect pillows for more chevron pillows - but I still love the entire concept.  Here's another one of her design boards I absolutely could die for:

3.  Iomoi.com - Okay so everyone who knows me, knows I have a sick addiction to stationary and paper products.  I also have an addiction to anything with an asian flare and elephants (random, I know).  So you mix all three of those items and it's a match made in heaven.  Here are just a few of the items I can't live without:

How Cute is this Return Address Label??

Lucite Stationary Box for my Office?  Yes Please!

Cutest.Stationary.Ever.

Seriously, I can't even stand how stinkin' cute this stuff is.  So friends and family - prepare yourself for getting random notes and snail mail from me just so I have an excuse to buy all of these items!

Are there any blogs and or websites that have you been stalking lately?  If so, let me know!

My Top Five of the Moment

I've actually been meaning to write this for awhile, but since I'm so fickle about everything, I wanted to make sure I continued to love the following items for a whole month just to be on the safe side...and I do...so here we go...

1.  Smashbox Softbox Eye Palette (Limited Edition)- I wear this every.single.day.  The colors range from soft vanilla and peach to smokey gray to deep bronze.  I wear the nude and peach colors during the day for a natural look and then at night switch to the bronze and pewter colors.  The palette even comes with an amazing duel-ended brush and two cream eyeliner/shadows AND Smasbox's famous eye-primer.  Not to mention, it includes photo How-To Guides on creating certain looks - fool proof!!  The primer makes my shadow and liner last all day but the shadow is such good quality, it lasts even when I forget the primer.  This is a summer must-have!  The pic below is from Sephora since they are featuring the palette at a special price of only $48 and again - it's limited edition, so I recommend scooping this up asap!



2.  Aveeno Nourish and Condition Leave-In Conditioner - Again, I put this on my hair every.single.day.  I am desperately trying to grow out my thin, frizzy hair that NEVER seems to get past my shoulders.  I think the main reason is that when it gets to a certain length, the ends become extremely brittle and dry so I end up getting frustrated and chopping it off again. But since using this product, I have seen a huge difference in the texture of my hair.  There's nothing in it that makes hair grow, it just makes the ends of my hair silkier and prevents breakage so that it looks great while growing out.  With the help of this product, I have finally left my hair alone and it's longer than it's ever been!  Even if you aren't growing your hair out, this product is still great on any length hair to help with damage with my REDcard but you can get it anywhere from the grocery store to Walmart.

3.  Target's Mossimo Cotton Tanks - So I am always on the never-ending search for the perfect tank.  It needs to be the perfect length, the perfect strap-width, the perfect fabric...and even though I'm this picky about it, I'm still not willing to spend a ton of money on it...because after all, it is still just a tank.  So I am so happy to report that I have finally found the perfect tank and it was under my nose at Target the entire time!  The Mossimo long and lean tanks are super soft cotton, with medium width straps, the perfect length and only $8...yes, $8.  They come in every color and I seriously never want to take them off.  I wear them underneath a cardigan for work, or by itself on the weekend.  My never-ending search has finally come to an end.

4.  Pinterest.com - I probably should have made this Number 1 on my list, even though this list is in no particular order...but I am seriously obsessed with this new website.  For years now I have been trying to keep ideas, pictures, recipes, etc...that I like all together somehow.  I even tried making a 'scrapbook' of sorts that held photos and magazine pages I ripped out with things I wanted to keep and remember for future reference.  Why does that never seem to work?  Nor does it work to save files in my email or bookmark them on my internet browser because things are still spread out all over the place and impossible to find again.  Finally, some genius has created pinterest.com where you can create 'Clipboards' to house all things you love.  You do this by 'pinning' photos or websites you want to keep onto your designated Clipboard.  I find myself going there every single day to look at the photos of decor, style, makeup, recipes, etc...whether I need an outfit inspiration or idea for what to cook that night.  You can also browse other people's Clipboards and 'follow' them if you really like what they are 'pinning'.  It's hard to explain - but go check it out and I swear you'll become addicted too.  Check out my Boards and start pinning!  Since I will be decorating my soon-to-be office, here is a pic I found that will serve as my inspiration.  I have it pinned on my 'Decor' Clipboard:

5.  Paul Newman's Frozen White Pizza - I would like to say that my boyf and I are what you could call 'frozen pizza connoisseurs'.  We turn to this delectable dish when we're in a hurry or just too lazy to make a real dinner.  I know it doesn't seem hard to find a good frozen pizza when there are hundreds upon hundreds of brands, styles and flavors to choose from, but as a connoisseur, I can tell you that it is.  Or so I thought until I tried Paul Newman's White Pizza.  It's made with feta instead of ricotta that gives just the perfect flavor along side the 'not-frozen' tasting spinach...Mmmmm...it is pure heaven.  I can literally eat the entire thing myself.  And did you know that all proceeds from any product Paul Newman makes goes to Charity?  How can you resist?  We actually buy alot of his products - anything from salsa to cereal and they are all worth trying.

Drugstore Find Raves and Rants

1.  Revlon's Top Speed Nail Polish in Hazy - Okay so I've mentioned before about how I'm not normally a nail polish person but I still wanted a new color for Spring.  I absolutely under no circumstances wear the usual corals, pinks or reds that usually come out in the hotter months.  I instead have been dreaming about a pastel gray.  Imagine my delight when I found it at the local CVS and imagine my even greater delight when I read that it would dry in 'top speed'.  Revlon's Top Speed Nail Polish in Hazy is truly my new fave.  It's the most perfect pale gray for Spring and Summer and literally dries in 60 seconds just like it promises.


Please Excuse my Giant Man-Hands


2.  L'oreal's Magic Perfecting Base - I actually bought this awhile ago but only used it a couple times and then frankly, forgot all about it.  Well, I busted it back out since the hot Florida sun has a habit of melting my makeup into cakey lines all over my face. I was a little skeptical since most primers I've used end up doing absolutely nothing, or are too heavy and make me break out.  But the second I smoothed this extremely soft, velvety 'mousse' onto my face, I could tell this was a winner.  It evened out my skin tone, smoothed my pores and made a great base for my foundation.  So that day I was actually out and about in the hot sun for work and received several compliments on my 'perfect complexion'.  To make matters better, you can find it at any drugstore for like $8!

3.  Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Replenshing Hair Mask - I've made it clear in a previous blog how troubled my hair is...and that continues to be the case.  I'm still loving my Nexxus Pro-Mend Shampoo and Conditioner but when I know I'm going out and wearing my hair down - I turn to my new BFF, Pantene's Beautiful Lengths Conditioning Mask.  I put this on after I shampoo in place of the Pro-Mend Conditioner and leave it on for a couple minutes.  The second it washes out of my hair, I can feel the silky-smooth difference.  It gives my lifeless hair volume, shine and softness.  Again - this gem can be found at any drugstore in your area for like $8. 

So here come my rants...


4.  L'oreal's Carbon Black Telescopic Liquid Eyeliner - I don't think I would have picked this up if my fave Makeup Blogger, Makeup by Tiffany D hadn't recommended it as one her drugstore faves. I absolutely love Tiffany and her recommendations, so again, I had very high hopes for this product.  Okay, so I know 'hate' is a strong word but I seriously hate this product.  It is not easy to apply; it doesn't last - for example, about thirty minutes after applying, I scratched my eye area and ended smudging the eyeliner half way across my face and I hate the stiff, wierdly shaped applicator - it makes me think of a hard angled calligraphy pen...all in all, it's horrendous and I wish I could find my receipt so I could get my $7.99 back.

5.  Too Faced Candlelight Eye-Insurance - Not sure if Ulta technically counts as a drugstore, but it's close enough.  So I orginally went to Ulta for the Urban Decay Potion Primer in Sin - but as my luck would have it, it was sold out.  The salesgirl directed me to the Too Faced Primer since it was the most comparable to the Urban Decay.  For $18 a pop for a tiny tube, I had high expectations. To begin with, I like the golden shimmer it puts on my lids, but I don't think my eyeshadow lasted more than one hour without creasing.  I even feel like it makes my eyeshadow/eyeliner crease MORE than withOUT primer at all.  So I've actually been using my L'oreal Magic Perfecting Base on my eyelids and been pretty happy with that but I'm still on the hunt for the perfect eye-primer.

Much Coveted Nexxus Pro-Mend Review

So anyone who reads magazines would know that the new Nexxus line "Pro-Mend" is all the rage.  I seldomly give in to the hype, but since my hair more often than not resembles a fried cotton ball, I happily jumped at the chance to try out anything that claims to literally mend split ends.  Thankfully, Nexxus delivered on that very promise.  I'm about a month and a half overdue on my much needed trims but after using both the Pro-Mend Shampoo and Conditioner last night-no joke, three people at work today asked me if I just got a haircut or did something different to my hair.  My hair is noticeably softer, shinier and lacking of my disgusting split ends - this after ONE use.  At $14 a pop - how can anyone resist?

There is one thing...if you have super fine hair like me - you may need a different shampoo for the roots - because the Pro-Mend Shampoo is so incredibly moisturizing, it did weigh down my hair just a tad - but not in a super heavy way, just a incredibly silky way - if that makes sense.  May I recommend purchasing the line at Ulta.com so you can accumulate Ulta Reward points in order to score more fabulous finds.

Wedding Dresses by Anthropologie - BHLDN

So I can't mention Wedding Gowns by Vera Wang/David's Bridal without mentioning the new Bridal Collection by Anthropologie for BHLDN.  After all, Anthropologie is my first true love.  Just like Anthro, this new line is for the truly unique, one of a kind girl who wants to "reflect her own unique perspective".  I was a little worried about the pricing on these gowns as Anthro can get quite pricey with specialty items - but these gowns range anywhere from $600 to $4000!  Below is my absolute fave, and only retails for $2400.

And let's not forget about our fabulous bridesmaids...BHLDN has the most adorable dresses to satisfy even the pickiest of your girlfriends.  What's even better is more than half of the bridesmaid collection can be worn again...and again....and again...I can't get enough of this one which retails for only $260:

And at long last this line offers shoes, accessories and jewelry that don't scream cheesy.  How adorable is this necklace?  And at $75 a pop, this can make the most perfect bridesmaid gift. 

All in all, I have decided to get married just so I can take advantage of these beautiful, one of a kind pieces and go down in history as the most fashionable bride...ever.

Make sure to check out the entire website at http://www.bhldn.com/index.cfm

I promise it will not disappoint.

Look for Less: West Elm vs. Target

Last week I FINALLY got around to buying the essentials for my abandoned Guest Room.  I had seen the below photo on my all time fave website: http://www.decorpad.com/, fell in love and decided that my guest room must look like this. 

decorpad.com

On my never-ending hunt for a good quality white duvet - I stumbled across this one at West Elm:



westelm.com



West Elm was just having a sale so I purchased the duvet cover and two standard shams - totally about $120.  Because it is just a duvet cover - I went to Target to get a down comforter to put in the cover.  Imagine my excitement when I stumbled across the below duvet SET which includes the comforter, bedskirt and shams for wait for it...wait...$90!!  So I bought the set from Target, brought both of them home for inspection.  The one from Target is softer, fuller and seems like such a better quality than the one from West Elm.  So I'm keeping the one from Targ and am working on making the room look like the one from decorpad.com.  I will post my final result when I'm finished.  Below is just a generic pic of the Targ duvet set:



target.com



5% Off at Target - Every Day!

Okay, so usually when I hear a cashier ask "Would you like to save 5% today by applying...." Stop.  Stop right there.  I do NOT want another credit card and please stop asking me every single time I come in here...okay, no I don't say that - but I'm thinking it.  Well, the other day at Target the friendly cashier asked me that and for some reason I actually let her finish before interrupting her with my usual polite, yet firm 'no thanks'.  She proceeded to tell me that Target not only is offering a credit card that saves you 5% off every purchase - but a DEBIT card that links directly to your Checking Account.  Um excuse me?  Ridden with credit card debt, I only use my debit card anyways - so now Targ is telling me that I will save 5% off every purchase, every single day?  Say no more.  I just got my glossy red card in the mail and can  not wait to go shopping.
Learn more about this fabulous card here.