Gorgeous Gingham

Sorry I've been slightly MIA lately, but let's just say graduate school is going to be keeping me pretty busy for the next two years! So although, I'm going to do my best to keep up with the blog - I may not be posting quite as much as I did this summer! It's only week one of grad school and y'all! I'm exhausted already! Okay, but back to fashion. Can we talk about these tassel earrings for a second? Holy moly - I'm obsessed! I officially have two colors (turquoise and white)....and I seriously want them ALL! They're such a fun statement piece! On the downside, I will say that they're pretty heavy. So I personally can't wear them for a full day, I just wear mine to church or events here and there so I don't do any damage to my ear lobes! And although this outfit is fairly "4th of July" themed - I loved the navy and red paired with the bright turquoise! Y'all know I'm typically a stripes kind of girl, I've been loving gingham this summer! My dress is from Two by Vince Camuto, but sadly it's sold out! So I linked similar below!

Dress

Earrings

Purse

Wedges

Lipstick

Speech Language Pathology

Tomorrow I begin a brand new chapter in my life. I'm officially starting Graduate School to get my master's degree in Speech Language Pathology! To be honest, I've always been torn about what I want in the future from my professional life. I interned for Keds last summer and absolutely LOVED it, but I've always been a communication disorders major (basically pre-speech pathology or audiology) and I didn't know what a career in anything else would look like. I spent all last year debating what to do with my life - head to a career in the marketing/social media/fashion world? Or continue on my path to speech therapy? Although I'm still torn (and probably always will be) I finally decided to continue school and get my masters while staying involved in the fashion world through my blog/instagram. You all know that I'm passionate about fashion, but I wanted to share with you why I'm also passionate about speech pathology! I truly believe that communication is what makes life worthwhile. It allows you to share your life with someone else; it allows you to express your emotions, thoughts, hopes and dreams. Honestly, I can't imagine a world in which I didn't have my ability to communicate, can you? It would impact everything in your day to day life - ordering coffee in the morning, communicating with your coworkers, checking out at the grocery store, even talking on the phone with your family. I've always wanted to help others, and this profession is the perfect way for me to do that! I can't imagine a better way to help someone than by giving the gift of communication. It's such a vital aspect of daily life and if I can make a difference in even just one person's life, all of the time and effort put into the pursuit of this profession will be worth it. Because don't get me wrong, getting my masters is going to be HARD. Heck, getting my bachelors was hard! I know that there will be days I want to give up and just call it quits, but I hope that on those days I can come back to this post and remind myself why I chose this path in the first place. I don't know where I'll be in 5 years, but I hope that wherever I end up (whether I continue in speech pathology or branch off into another field) I can make a positive impact in someone's life. Because isn't that what life is all about?

Necklace (16 in)  

Enza Essentials

Okay, so my skin and I have always had a love hate relationship. Some days it looks supermodel fab, and others it's a "hide in your room" kind of day. But my skin has always been like that, so I just thought that that's how my skin was! Enter Enza Essentials. I was contacted by Enza to try out their skincare line. They asked a few questions regarding my skin type, current regimen and skincare concerns. Enza customizes skin care to fit every individual's needs because they believe that everyone needs different products that are tailored specifically to their skin! Every customer fills out a questionnaire that takes their lifestyle, environment, climate and skin details into consideration when suggesting products! (And bonus - if you order a skin care suite you get 30% off!) Once Enza selected my products, they sent them to me in a cute little baggie along with a folder detailing my customized skincare routine. Not only does it have a detailed schedule inside (when to use which products and how often), but it also contains information detailing each product (what's in it, what it does etc). I love that I know EXACTLY what I'm putting on my skin - no guess work to it. And let me tell you, when I first received these products, I never thought they would actually make much of a difference - but I couldn't be more wrong! I've been using the products for over a week now and I can already see a huge difference. My skin is brighter, smoother and more even. What a difference having a personalized skincare regimen makes! I don't know if I can ever go back to what I was doing before. Y'all know I'm all about fashion, but let's be honest - clear skin is the most important accessory. If you're looking for something that works, like really works - be sure to check out http://www.enza.com/ and start your journey to beautiful skin!

Green With Envy

So my dreams of feeling like a Disney Princess have finally come true. Well, at least for this photoshoot. Hah! But seriously, this skirt is straight out of a fairy tale! I’ve been following TJ Sewer for a while now. The founder, Tabitha, is just one of the sweetest people and I love that her clothing line is made right here in the USA with lots of love. TJ Sewer offers classic silhouettes with a modern twist. I’ve decided that if Carrie Bradshaw and Cinderella got together to make a fashion love child - this would be it! 

I also have an unhealthy obsession with crop tops. I know it’s just a trend - but I hope they always stay in style! This one is from Express and (although I forgot to take a picture of it - sorry!) it has fun cutouts on the back! Sadly it’s only available in black - or I would totally have every color - but it goes with everything! Shop this look below:

Top

Skirt

Loren Hope Cuff

Clutch (Olivia + Joy old) (similar)

Shoes (Gianni Bini old) (similar)

Rocker Chic

So, I was clearly feeling slightly bad-a during this photoshoot. But hey - when you wear leather…it just happens. And you caught me, technically, this “top” is a dress. But as I’ve been seeing “Back to School” everywhere, it can only mean one thing…fall is coming people! Hard to believe seeing as it 857 degrees right now. But regardless I’d thought it would be a good time to give y’all my tips and tricks from taking your summer wardrobe into cooler weather!

It’s so easy to take your favorite summer dresses and style them as tunics for the fall! I paired this Archer + Arrow Stripe Swing Dress with some leather leggings for a “rocker” look. But you could easily throw on any of your dresses with skinny jeans or leggings (I just tuck mine in a little on one side or tie it in a knot so it’s not quite so long!). Another staple transition piece every girl should have in her closet is a military jacket. Y’all. It’s CRAZY how much I wear my military jacket (and vest too). Honestly, you can throw it over (almost) anything and look super chic. I always pack mine for trips - it’s such a perfect layering piece. And the third transition piece you need? Scarves. But you all saw that coming. Scarves are always a cute way to stay a little warmer as you head into fall! Don’t forget to shop http://archernarrow.com/ for all your fall necessities! And be sure to use code “glitter” for 15% off your entire purchase!

xoxo

Dress (aka my top - which is from Archer + Arrow, but not available online, so I linked similar)

Leather Leggings (similar)

Booties (I couldn’t find the black, but here they are in cream)

Lipstick

Necklaces (both old from Dillards and Zara)

Maxi Addiction

In case you haven’t already noticed - I’m a sucker for maxi dresses. They’re comfy, flowy and the best part? You don’t have to match two pieces. Call me lazy, but I love that I can throw on a dress and go - no guess work to it!

This tie-dye maxi from Liz and Honey is seriously my new favorite. If I could live in this dress, I would! It’s effortlessly chic and IT HAS POCKETS! Any dress that has pockets - count me in! I paired it with some nude gladiator sandals (which are on MAJOR sale by the way) and topped it off with some gold jewelry! Shop this look below! And don’t forget to visit lizandhoney.com and use code “glitterfan15″ for 15% off your purchase!

Dress

Shoes

Necklace (similar)

Walk in the Park

Happy Thursday! Okay, I might have a maxi addiction. But isn’t the first step admitting that you have a problem? Despite the addiction, I just couldn’t pass up this skirt from Liz and Honey! I chose to keep it casual with a chambray button-up top and white Keds, but this skirt is so versatile - you could easily dress it up with a cute crop top and some heels! I love that this skirt can be worn for any occasion from brunch with the girls to a night out on the town. Definitely a new closet staple! Check out the outfit details below! And be sure to stop by lizandhoney.com and use code “glitterfan15″ for 15% off your entire purchase! 

Skirt - http://lizandhoney.com/collections/bottoms/products/rosemary-skirt

Top (mine’s from TJ Maxx) - (similar) http://www.beallsflorida.com/online/ymi-juniors-chambray-cropped-tie-bottom-top?cm_mmc=PaidSearch-_-PLA-_-PPCGooglePLA-_-P000350570&adpos=1o1&creative=64942566746&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAjwluetBRD98L639p35p0QSJACC8BlKq-R2EvO7kUKqtgB8BnbuhsGTDKPt_gJlMcHcKmLv5BoCqB3w_wcB

Keds - http://www.keds.com/en/champion-originals/14492W.html?dwvar_14492W_color=WF34000#cgid=women-ourcollections-theoriginalchampion&start=1

Kendra Scott Rayne Necklace - http://www.kendrascott.com/rayne-necklace-in-white.html

Loren Hope Cuff - http://www.lorenhope.com/products/large-sarra-cuff-in-iridescent.html

Kate Spade Purse (TJ Maxx) - (similar Michael Kors) http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/michael-michael-kors-jet-set-chain-crossbody-bag/3995237?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=RASPBERRY&resultback=2792

Aesthetica Cosmetics

Getting up close and personal today because I’m reviewing the Aesthetica Cosmetics Contour Palette. I’m a huge fan of contouring (because it seriously shaves 10 lbs off your face, I’m not joking), but it’s hard to find a shade that looks natural. Contouring mimics the natural shadows on your face, so you need to use a color that is one to two shades darker than your skin tone with a slightly grey/muddy undertone. It also needs to be COMPLETELY matte or you’ll just look like you have a weird shimmery line on your face. But as I said earlier, it’s SO hard to find your perfect contour shade.

When Aesthetica offered to send me one of their contour palettes, I was so excited to give it a try! I quickly fell in love with this palette because there are a variety of shades that you can mix to get your perfect color. It also includes a few highlighter shades to accentuate your cheekbones. I know the shades are slightly distorted in my picture, but check out their website to get a more accurate idea! I’m not sure this palette will work for those of you with really dark skin, I would say this is geared towards fair - medium skin tones. And for those of you wondering, yes, this palette is also almost IDENTICAL to the Anastasia contour palette, but this one is $10 cheaper! It’s still a little pricey at $30, but I contour my face daily (cheek and nose) so for me it would totally be worth the investment. I’ll definitely be buying replacement pans once mine run out! If you’re a makeup junkie like me, you definitely need this palette in your collection! Shop it below!

Aesthetica Contour Palette - http://aesthetica.me/shop/aesthetica-contour-kit-powder/

But it’s WAY cheaper on Amazon! - http://www.amazon.com/Aesthetica-Highlighting-Foundation-Contouring-Instructions/dp/B00L4FNIA4