Lipstick Cocktail

Even though a girl can never really have enough lipsticks sometimes I'm not too sure I want to step out of my"color comfort zone" and try colors I've never tested in the past. So I figured a safe way of discovering new shades within my comfort zone is by mixing colors I already have with each other. I usually go with a nude shade for my lips, orangey tones or bold red lips.

The process of mixing the lips colors is extremely simple.

1. I just heated in the microwave whatever colors I wanted to mix together at 15-second intervals until the lipstick was melted (be careful not to burn it). 

2. Then I placed the new-found shades in these small plastic containers and let cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

If you want any color you mix together or a lipstick color you already have in more of a lipgloss texture, just repeat the same process with a little dab of Vaseline to get a smoother and shinier texture.

Thrifting 101

Thrifting is truly an inexpensive way to score classic staples for your closet. I'm no professional thrifter by any means but it has become a norm for me to pop into a thrift store once in a while and along the way I've gathered a few tips that may help you if your new to "thrifting".

1. Visit thrift stores in the metro area of town. This will almost gurantee that you'll find at least one good piece of clothing since metro area's have more people, more diversity, and a larger population, making their selection more varied than a store in the 'burbs.

2. Be open to trying bigger sizes. I can attest to how difficult it can be to find small sizes in thrift stores (I am a size three in jeans, skirts, and pants and a small in blouses/shirts). What I do now is look for pieces that I like or that draw my attention then I try them on no matter the size because many times the clothes were measured by different standards than what we are used to in our common shopping stores (i.e. Zara, H&M, Forever 21, etc.) Also even though an item may fit a bit large you can make it work by styling it "a la Rachel Zoe" and of course there's always the option of getting it altered.

3. Don't forget the delicate cycle on your washing machine. Personally, I prefer to get my thrifted items dry cleaned whenever possible, since I usually score skirts made from silk and other delicate fabrics, but when I'm in a hurry to wear it or just don't want to spend the extra money I wash my clothes on the delicate cycle and it gets the job done. It cleans the item without abusing the fabric too much.

Do you have any advice you've picked up while thrifting?

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On the Eve of Traveling

basic cotton tees, stripped shirts, denim shirt (which can be worn with just about anything) and a fun Summer dress

Packing, for some reason has always been one of my favorite parts of the entire trip. It builds up the excitement of all the potential things that could happen! I snapped a few shots of my travel necessities before putting them in the suitcase and hauling off to the airport. 

Like I mentioned previously I plan out all my outfits in advance that way I don't have to spend anytime planning or fussing over what I'll wear because as we all know vacation time is precious.

skirts, shorts, jeans, and beach or poolside bathing suit and wrap

accessories consisting of: watches, bracelets and fun statement rings

*shoes not pictured, sorry I forgot!

Packing tips

On the first long trip I took with one of my friends I discovered we had polar opposite ways packing for trips. She was surprised to see I had pre-planned all of my outfits while she planned them out throughout the trip. I've always found it helpful to be extremely organized while packing for trips, I just feel like it makes the entire process so much more smooth.

So here are just a few of my personal packing tips that have become habitual for me and maybe they can help you on your next getaway.

1. Pre-plan all of your outfits. I cannot stress this enough, it's such a time and space saver on your vacation. I know it's impossible to know everything you'll be doing but you can kind of predict depending on where you're going (i.e. summer vacation to Mexico, short weekend trip to see family, etc.)

2. Always pack at least one pair of flats and one pair of heel/wedges in a neutral color. You'll want to be comfortable but at the same time prepared for any surprise outing with friends and having both a heel or wedges in a neutral color makes it easier to having to pack more shoes (which can weigh a lot and take up tons of precious space)!

3. Pack a hat. Doesn't matter what type of hat, but it will help toward the end of the trip when your hair isn't looking like it should or maybe you want to look slightly different in some pictures.

4. Make sure to take one pair of shorts, one pair of jeans, and one skirt. With these bottoms you should be good for an entire week (day and night). You can alternate all three between day and night and they don't have to be denim, actually preferably not, that way they take up less space in your luggage.

5. Take one statement piece of jewelry, either a bracelet or a necklace to quickly fancy up any outfit without packing your entire jewelry stash!

And last but not least, remember to have fun. This list is by no means all inclusive but this is the foundation of a vacation wardrobe no matter where you're going!

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