Ipsy My Glam Bag May 2013

I have been on again, off again with beauty subscription services. There are loads of them out there that offer a variety of products from beauty product samples to full sized makeup products to clothing and shoes! You may already be familiar with Birchbox or Glossybox, two of the more popular sites, but others include Beauty Army, JustFab, and ShoeDazzle. Since I was interested in setting myself up with a subscription, I did a lot of research on the types of products you get from each company and the price associated with it. Last year, for a short period I had subscribed to ShoeDazzle but canceled my membership realizing that I wasn’t so interested in getting a new handbag or pair of shoes each month for the hefty $50+ dollars I was being charged for the service. I did like the items, don’t get me wrong, they were very stylish and the quality was decent, but did I really need a new handbag every month, or a new pair of shoes EVERY month? I did not! So, I jumped off the subscription service band wagon for a bit.

Of course, Spring hit again this year and I suddenly felt the need for new accessories and makeup! So, I began researching the popular beauty subscriptions, deciding that $10 a month for some beauty items was more feasible. However, I didn’t want to pay $10 a month for foil samples of hand lotion and mini bottles of perfume that I could get for free at any department store counter. So, I ended up choosing Ipsy and the My Glam Bag service. What drew me to Ipsy was the number of quality large sized samples or full sized products I saw their customers receive month after month. With Ipsy, each month you get a trendy little makeup bag filled with 3-5 products that have been customized to your beauty needs, preferences and colors. They offer a range of beauty products, from makeup, perfume, skincare, lotions, and hair products! You tell Ipsy your style and what types of items you want and they try to stay within your parameters. So far I have received one bag and it was filled with items that I actually LOVED! And the value of the bag was close to $60 and filled with multiple full sized items and large samples. You can see what I got in my bag in the video above! Overall, you can say I am very happy so far with my Ipsy subscription and I can’t wait to see what I get in June’s bag!

If you are interested in the Ipsy service, visit them online here.

For the record, this is not a sponsored post, I paid for my Ipsy subscription myself and have not been contacted by the company at this point in time. All opinions are my own and I hope you appreciate my honesty!

Forever 21 Jewelry Haul

forever 21 jewelry haul 2

I really love Forever 21 because all of their products are affordably priced and trendy! I particularly love their jewelry because its soooo inexpensive! So, I just picked up a few cute pieces that I found at my local Forever 21 store!

twisted stud cuff

The first piece that caught my eye was this twisted stud cuff that cost $5.80! I have been trying to build up my collection of bracelets and cuffs. I love silver and this pointed stud design is very edgy. Most of my current jewelry is rather girly, so I thought this harder look would be an awesome compliment to balance out my usual style.

camden cross cuff

 

The next item I bought was this set of two camden cross cuffs for $5.80. I like the mix of silver and gunmetal because, again, its more of an edgy look, but these are also simple enough to be worn with a lighter style as well.

twisted studd and camden cross cuffs

Together, I definitely think these cuffs are awesome and edgy and will definitely compliment my wardrobe for the remainder of the Spring and carry me through Summer as well!

eiffel tower necklace

The next item I picked up was this long black and crystal Eiffel Tower necklace for $2.80. Yes, $2.80! That is precisely why I love Forever 21 Jewelry! Heck! It may not be the best quality, but for trendy items that you will wear for a season or two and then discard, you can’t beat the price! I love Paris, so I just had to pick this necklace up! I think I will wear it layered with some other short and dainty necklaces.

mint two finger ring

Okay, so, did I mention I am really into edgy style and accessories?!? I have never owned a two finger ring before and I was not thrilled that this is gold and not silver, but this mint two finger ring is pretty awesome and actually more comfortable than I could have expected. Again $2.80, so it was a no brainer!

mustache ring trio

I mustache you a question, but I’ll shave it for later! Okay, okay, this trio of novelty mustache rings may seem frivolous, but for $4.80 for the set of three, I COULD NOT RESIST! I love collecting mustache items, its so hipster, I know, but I can’t help myself! And I WILL wear these, probably with my other mustache ring…

mustache trio and mint two finger rings

Seriously though, what’s not to love about these rings? They are pretty unique and definitely a conversation starter. I love little accessories that are simple but interesting when you get together in a group.

open studd ring

So, this next ring is a little less interesting but no less unique with its Spike Ends for another $2.80. This ring should do well with my new cuffs, particularly the twisted stud cuff!

forever 21 rings jewlery haul

Overall, I think my Forever 21 Jewelry Haul was quite successful. I spent a few bucks but definitely picked up a bunch of items I will wear over and over again in the upcoming months! So, did you see anything that you liked from my haul? Or perhaps you have a few of these items yourself. Let me know what you think and how you wear your pieces for summer. Leave a comment below!

 

What’s on My iPhone?

Playing Dress Up: Casual Spring Concert Style

Casual Spring Concert Look
Have plans to attend an outdoor concert this spring? Looking for that perfect look thats comfortable enough to wear while sitting on the grass, but coordinated enough to wear out after the show? Try this simple rocker look with thin layers, and comfortable skinnies to keep you cool and looking cooler.

Rare London sleeveless top
$23 – rarelondon.com

Jersey cardigan
$11 – chiarafashion.co.uk

Warehouse skinny leg jeans
$65 – warehouse.co.uk

Prada
barneys.com

Book Review: Lean In

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     Recently, I downloaded a copy Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, by Sheryl Sandberg. Released in March, this informative and sometimes autobiographical book discusses and evaluates the way both women and society hold women back in the workplace, while also emphasizing and inspiring women to become leaders in the workforce in order to drive much needed social change. Although the book is highly geared towards uplifting and motivating women to push for higher goals in their work lives, it also spends a good amount of time dealing with the reciprocal relationship that men have in the domestic sphere. As women are held back in the workforce, so are men held back in the home, and in the authors opinion, society would benefit from an increased presence of both women in leadership positions and men assisting in domestic work and child rearing.

     In Sandberg’s opinion, two major things need to happen in order for true change and gender equality to occur. First, women must “lean in” and actively pursue more leadership positions instead of allowing their careers to take a backseat to domestic life (child care, home life, etc) and secondly, men need to take a more active role in the home so that their wive’s do not have to “do it all.” Yes, it is very difficult for women to balance a demanding professional career and take care of the vast majority of home care, child rearing, meal preparation, but that isn’t the ideal ends as Sandberg so rightly argues. The ideal would be for men to pick up half the domestic work especially when their highly educated wive’s are bringing in their fair share of the household income.

     I highly suggest this book to anyone who is interested in the equalization of gender roles. I also suggest this book to anyone who manages women in the workplace because it includes many studies that demonstrate that certain gender stereotypes are present in the workplace and managers should be actively aware of this so that they can equalize the playing field for their female employees. Overall, for me, this book was highly inspiring and actually made me think much harder about how high I want to achieve within my own career. Women can have a thriving career and domestic life at the same time, as long as they have partners willing and able to take up their fair share of the chores and childcare, and I think Sandberg’s message is an inspiring one for the future of women’s leadership.

Big Lens Turns your iPhone into a DSLR

Recently, I had been searching for a new camera app, one that would allow me to control the aperture of my images so that I could control the depth of field in my pictures more so that I could with my iPhone’s camera app. I found Big Lens, a $.99 app for iOS with high ratings and some great user reviews. Big Lens is actually quite easy to use and surprisingly effective at achieving the natural bokeh and blur effects I was looking for. It isn’t a camera app that you would use to capture images necessarily, instead its an editing tool to use with existing images. To show you how simple and effective the app is, I am using the sample image provided in the app itself.

Big Lens 1 Big Lens 2 Big Lens 3

As you can see from these three images above, you start with your selected image, then using the brush tool in the advanced* menu you highlight the area on your image that you want to remain in focus. Don’t worry if you draw outside the lines of the subject because you can use the “Auto” selection tool and that cuts out any overage by determining the boundaries of your subject and selecting just that subject. Once your area is selected as in image two, you move on to the next step which blurs everything that wasn’t highlighted and creates a nice depth of field effect in your image.

Big Lens 4 Big Lens 5 Big Lens 6

You can control this blur in the “Aperture” tool by selecting a smaller or larger F Stop. The smaller the F Stop the larger your aperture and the more blur you get in your photo. You can also use the “Filter” tool to add some great color and lighting effects, including Lomo effects similar to those found in Instagram and other popular filter apps. Finally, you can also adjust the “Lens” options which will help you create a nice natural bokeh effect Choose the desired shape of your bokeh from a selection of hearts stars and geometric shapes. To achieve the bokeh effect, I have found that increasing the aperture will make your bokeh more prominent in your image, but there are also some filter options that also assist with creating a nice bokeh.

* This app has a Basic and an Advanced menu. I am using the Advanced menu for this review because it gives the user more precise control over the effects, however, if you were to use the Basic menu, it gives you most of the same options, but instead of the brush tool for selecting your subject, you have a standard circle or linear blur option. All else is the same between the two menus.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the Big Lens app. For $.99 its pretty powerful and creates some nice depth of field and blur effects that are much more precise than what other popular apps offer. I like how I get some functions of a DSLR camera with this app that make my subjects stand out and product some great lighting effects as well. Definitely give Big Lens a try if you are looking for more advanced focus and blur controls.

 

Playing Dress Up: Modern Gatsby Look

Modern Gatsby Look

 

Keyhole dress
modcloth.com

Silver hair accessory
$38 – johnny-loves-rosie.com

Mother’s Day Gifts Under $100

Mother's Day Gifts
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, so pamper your mom with one of these designer gifts under $100.

Show mom she has your heart with a pair of Tory Burch stud earrings!

Teal and Coral are two of the hottest colors for Spring and Summer. Give mom a gift that will make her stand out with this geometric statement necklace.

Is mom a gadget lover? This ultra feminine iPad sleeve is as protective as it is stylish!

Kate Spade iPhone 5 case
neimanmarcus.com

Your iPhone toting mom will surely love this adorable Kate Spade case. The oversized polka dots are grown up and lady like at the same time.

Lauren Ralph Silk Scarf
bloomingdales.com

A scarf always adds an effortless style to any outfit or bag. Try this brightly colored Ralph Lauren Silk scarf that mom is sure to adore.

Not sure what fragrance your mom wears. Try this perfume sampler from Sephora and let mom pick out her favorite. The sampler comes with a ‘Scent Certificate’ so once mom finds one she likes, she can redeem the certificate for a full sized bottle of her favorite.
So, what are giving your mom this Mother’s Day? Let us know in the comments!

5 Smartphone Wallets to Swoon Over!

vaja smartphone wallet

{Vaja iPhone 5 Clutch, $240}

One of my must have accessories for the warmer months has got to be the smartphone wallet. Whether you tote around an iPhone, Android or Windows smartphone, these awesome wallets double as clutches that keep your phone, cash and important cards all in one place. I have been using one as my primary wallet since I was gifted one for my birthday! So far, I have seen many designer brands of these wallets popping up all over the place, but you can find some stylish and sensibly priced versions in store and online if you just spend the time to look! I have done some legwork for you and scouted out a few styles at various price points, some designer names and some everyday brands, to help you find your perfect fit!

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Ardium Smartphone Zipper Wallet, $43

SmartPhoneWallet-SP2-Blue-2T

Elaine Turner Smartphone Wallet in Robin’s Egg Blue, $148

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Coach Legacy East/West Universal Case, $68

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Merona Lattice Print Zip Around Wallet, $15

 

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Michael Kors Pyramid Stud Multifunction Phone Case, $118

 

Playing Dress Up: Chic Silver & Black Edgy Spring Office Look

Edgy Spring Office Look

With the spring now in full force, I have been scouring my closet and stores for some great, lightweight and easy to wear items for work. Black tights paired with a lightweight metallic tunic style top and an awesome structured blazer is a chic way to stand out and keep cool in the warmer months. I am really into skulls right now (and have been for a few weeks) but I struggle with integrating them into my wardrobe in a professional way. I love these simple loafers with the skull design and desperately need to find a pair for myself immediately! My bold Warby Parker Thatchers have been my staple eyewear for a while now and I think this look really works well with my thick framed glasses. Top off the look with some silver jewels and my Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote, Rebecca Minkoff iPhone case and my ClamCase Pro for iPad and I am all work and all play all at once! 

Long sleeve tunic
$380 – thefoldlondon.com

Draped top
$210 – question-air.com

Alexander McQueen skull loafer
$525 – harveynichols.com

Kate spade jewelry
katespade.com

Baublebar jewelry
baublebar.com

Rebecca minkoff
beautybar.com

Warby parker
warbyparker.com