Bring on the bling!

Big girls need big diamonds.
~ Elizabeth Taylor

Everyone wants to look their best when it's back to school time. I always feel like I need to go buy a whole new wardrobe. But lets be honest shall we? No one has that kind of money that day. So how can you add some spice to your look without breaking the bank? Accessories are the way to go! My go to place for accessories is Forever 21. Forever 21 has variety for many different styles and they are also super reasonably prices. So with out further ado, here are my top ten accessories for school from Forever 21!

1. High Waist Bow Belt $4.80
- This belt is not only super cute but also can make major changes to an outfit. Belting a flowy dress or adding it to a tank can change up the whole feel of an outfit and highlight your waist at the same time. Plus how cute it that bow!

2. Rose Duo Clip $2.50
- This hair clip would be super cute on top of a messy side bun. This simple clip adds a touch of whimsy to just a normal outfit. So girly and romantic. This will make you feel pretty when you wear it. Plus I think this specific color pink will go very well with all hair colors.

3. Braided Bead Necklace $8.80
- This necklace it sorta fascinating to me. I think I would want to play with it a while before I wear. Anyway.... I also think its very pretty. Its chunky enough to make a statement but short enough to be easy to wear. Because its not sparkly of voluminous, it can be worn with any type of look, dressed up or dressed down. I could see it with a pretty sundress or with a tank and shorts.

4. Upper Eastside Bracelet Set $5.80
- This is a pretty substantial bracelet and the size might irritate some people, but I think its the perfect piece if you need to dress an outfit up. Because it has pearls and its pretty elegantly put together it will draw the eye and make even simple outfits look well thought out and posh.

5. Peacock Glamour Earrings $5.80
- OK I know I know these are a bit gaudy. However my personal taste does tend to run a bit to the gaudy side. I can see these with a cool black shirt. I have a shirt with cut out on the shoulders and cowl neck that is just plain black that these would look ridiculous with. These will most definitely be making an appearance in my personal collection.

6. Damask Knuckle Ring $5.80
- I almost didn't put a ring on here because I don't really feel like a ring can change your whole outfit. However with this ring I will make an exception. When it starts to get chilly and long sleeves come back into our thoughts this ring will be perfect. A light sweater with long tight fitting sleeves will pretty much point straight to this ring. This is so pretty you might just stare at it all day.

7. Floral Tips Scarf $8.80
- This scarf is perfect for this time of year because it is sooo light weight. This is going to be a huge statement piece and add alot of color but not make your neck sweat. Which is good because neck sweat is soooooo not chic... seriously... it's not.

8. Denim fedora with Leatherette Trim $10.80
- I like the idea of a denim fedora because it isn't too dressy and you can wear it to school. I think this hat does look a little masculine so I would wear it with something ultra feminine wither a floral dress or blouse thats a little flouncy. I think this fedora would look good with a low side pony with quite a bit of texture to it.

9. Diamond Web Tights $5.80
- These tights may not work on everyone. It may be too big of a print for some shorter people but I felt like the print could work on most average height people. I like tights because it enables you to move alot of your dresses from summer into fall. Take any summer dress add a cardigan and a pair of tights and viola! a perfect fall outfit!

10. Rose Bouquet Earrings $4.80

- I like these because I feel like most people just wear studs everyday and these are studs just a little more elegant and blingy... its that's even a word. These have a little bit of a victorian feel which I really like.

 

Ok those are my top picks for back to school bling!!!

 

Love, Laughter and God's Blessing

Lauren

If the shoe fits...

"Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world."
~ Marilyn Monroe

It's back to school time folk! My favorite part of going back to school is starting the year fresh with lots of new stuff! So the next few blogs are going to be over new must haves for school!

Today lets focus on back to school shoes!!!!! When I was younger I never really understood why one needed back to school shoes. Its not like slamming kicks can get you an A. But these days I have given up caring because any excuse to get new shoes is all right by me! This season there are some really cute inexpensive options. SO let's go shopping yall!

My shoe picks for back-to-school:

1) These floral oxfords are from Forever 21. Oxfords really came in this past season. I haven't really been into them that much because I feel like they are sorta manly and sorta like business man shoes. But with this ultra feminine pattern on them it sorta balances and I like them. alot.

2. Rainboots are extremely useful but they can be super cute too. This pair is from Target. I think the floral pattern is adorable. I know I'm all about the floral. But I really like this pair because the navy backdrop makes it able to translate from summer to fall and back to spring. 

 3. This pair of boots is from Charlotte Rouse. The riding boot trend has been going on for a while. However I think that the riding book is a classic look that doesnt go out of style and therefore is a staple not a trend. Try to look for a pair with a special detail that isnt too much. The bow detail on these is adorable without being over the top and clashing with your outfit!

 4. These beauties are from Dollhouse. I like these because they look like they should be high heels. One of the main things I miss now that I am in college is wearing heels to school. I feel like these are flats wishing they were heels. The t strap is cute cute cute. And I like gray in shoes because it can go with so many different colors in your outfit!

 5. Ok these are my splurge. They are a little more pricey because they are from Steve Madden. But these are soooooooo cute. Im a sucker for bows and these have bows AND rhine stones! Cream is a really good color to transition seasons and can even be worn in winter. They may be a splurge but they are sooo worth it!

Those are my top 5 picks for back to school shoes I did see one other pair that caught my eye... ;)

 Love, Laughter and God's Blessings

Lauren 

Who made an A on the fashion exam?

I never go outside unless I look like Joan Crawford the movie star. If you want to see the girl next door, go next door.

~ Joan Crawford

So this blog is sorta delayed but I have been super busy lately with exams and all the business. But the Met Gala was in the recent past and all the biggest celebs showed up. I thought I would do a quick run down of those who showed up like movie stars and who... well... didnt.

Lets start with the bad ones:

Demi Moore. The dress is by Prabal Gurung. The dress isnt too bad but there is just too much going on and then it was really jacked up paired with that crazy hat thing. I looove hats as we all know but thing is not good..... not good at all

 

Christina Hendrix. The dress is by Carolina Herrera. I usually love stuff by Carolina Herrera but this is not up to par. I cant decide if it's the weird sheen the fabric has to it or maybe the really bad colors pallete. or maybe it's some combo of both. For whatever reason this is really really bad.

Christina Ricci. Dress by Zac Posen. Eh I cant really put my finger on why i dislike this dress as much as I do. It reminds me of something Lily on The Munsters would wear. It's like a Halloween costume or something... like seriously she should be carrying a broom or a cauldron or something.

Kristen Stewart. Dress by Proenza Schouler. This pattern is just ridiculous. I really dont understand how she keeps getting voted as best dressed on all these lists. This is ridiculous there is no shape or anything redeeming to it. You cant see it in this picture but this dress has a racer back but even that little surprise does not redeem this dress... like at all.

Naomi Campbell in Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. I know McQueen is known for designs like this but there is a time and place for dresses like this and this is not it. This is just a huge mistake. And that little hair piece looks like an 80's scruchie you would wear to jazzercize.

and the good ones!

Dakota Fanning. The dress is by Valentino. I think it is very princessy sorta like the dress worn by Olivia Wilde. Its also very age appropriate but still very fashionable. two thumbs up.

Ashley Greene. Dress by Donna Karan. I love love love this dress. It is so elegant. It is the perfect shape for her body and the color is just beautiful. Also she accessorizes well and lets the dress be the statement. Give the girl an A!.... I wouldn't mind a couple of A's myself

Ashley Olsen. Dress by Christin Dior. There were a lot of mixed reviews for this look, but I personally really like it. I think its very regal and elegant and chic. Yea the sleeves are alot but its a red carpet event and I feel like its appropriate and fashion foward. I like it.

Blake Lively in Chanel. I really like this dress its very Grecian like a goddess. Plus it goes amazing with her new hair color which i also love. Blake Lively is always a star.

Ok that is my run down of the Met Gala fashion. Hope you all enjoyed and happy studying!

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings

Lauren

Top 5

I am involved in a freedom ride protesting the loss of the minority rights belonging to the few remaining earthbound stars. All we demanded was our right to twinkle. 

~ Marilyn Monroe

So I hope everyone has recovered from the royal wedding! It was beautiful yadda yadda yadda. Honestly I am sick to death of hearing about it, so if you were expecting a run down on what I liked I'm sorry but i just cant stomach that right now. I am weddinged out. So I am doing sort of a random blog about my top five things I loved during the month of April. I have seen some other bloggers do this so I'm following suit. gotta be in with the crowd.

 

1. My Mary Kay cream highlighter

- I adore this product. It is probably my favorite product that I use. Unfortunately Mary Kay has discontinued this product and I haven't found a good enough dupe. There a billion different types of highlighters though so I'm sure when I run out of this product I will find a new one. A highlighter, especially a cream highlighter, can be used for a lot of different effects. I use mine for contouring my cheekbones and nose and pulling light to the top of my brow. Below are the areas i apply my highlighter. I know it looks a little crazy but I didn't want to blend everything in cause then you couldn't see it. The brown is bronzer, pink is blush, and the lighter color is the highlighter.

2. Aussie Sun-touched Shine Hairspray

 - I really like Aussie products in general because I think they are super affordable but still work really well. I like this hair spray because it really does make your hair really shiny. I use it as a finishing hair spray because it isn't wet and it wont mess up your due.

3. Dove Hair Nourishing Oil Care Daily Treatment Conditioner

- I am totally in awe of this conditioner. It makes my hair incredibly soft and silky. I do use it everyday and it doesn't weigh my hair down like some other heavy conditioners. I also blow out my hair everyday and I have pretty frizzy coarse hair to begin with. I imagine that if you have fine hair this conditioner might be too much for you and make your hair a tad greasy. But if you have some damage like me, this is the way to go!

 

4. Lip Smackers in Vanilla

- As I mentioned in one of my previous blogs I had some issues with my lips a little while ago and the skin peeled off so now I am super careful with what I put on my lips. I like lip smackers because they don't claim to heal or soften or any of that kind of thing, its just a lubricant that smells good. Because of that it doesn't irritate my newly grown lip skin (lol) and I wear it as often as I like!

5. Jessica Simpson Fancy Love

- I already have and love Jessica Simpson Fancy and I have been wanting Fancy Love for like...ever. I love this scent sooooo much. It might be my favorite. Its a really good scent for summer and spring. Reader beware, this is a very very sweet scent. It is floral and all things sweet. There is no musk, no spice, no dusky undertone. It is just sweet. I love it and i would recommend it to everyone but I know that some people don't like things that smell so sweet BUT I DO!!!!

Ok well those are some things that I was loving this past month. I hope everyone has a good week!

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings

Lauren

How sweet it is!

 You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.

~Alan, age 10

So today on the news I heard like eighty people trying to predict what the menu would be for the royal wedding and WHAM inspiration for today's blog. Apparently at the royal wedding they are serving boiled fish, quail, starling pie (whatever the heck that is) and of course the ever sophisticated pig in a blanquette.... wow. Well none of that is really striking my fancy and honestly it really just sounds expensive, so as usual I have some fun, cost effective ideas to better suit your personality.... and they are waaaaay cuter than boiled fish... ew.

1. The Cupcake Bar
- Holy cupcake batman! This is such an amazing idea! HOW DOES EVERY WEDDING NOT HAVE THIS!!!! I love this idea because it is hands-on and pretty cheap. You could totally do this all by your self. I mean how hard is to bake some naked cupcakes and then pour some sprinkles in a bowl.... I also really like this because you can personalize everything to match your theme or personality. Having a underwater themed wedding? Throw out some swedish fish. Marrying a nerd? Smarties are the way to go! THIS IS THE BEST IDEA EVER!!!!!!

2. The Chocolate Fountain
- These are pretty common but I love them. Again this is a super cheap option. You can rent the fountain and then you just cut up some different stuff and let people dip. My favorite dippers are strawberries, bananas, and meringue puffs. YUM! Also another fun little thing you can do is use white chocolate and then food coloring to match your wedding colors. Let's not kid, there is a pink chocolate fountain in my future for sure!

3. The Mac & Cheese Shooter
- Who doesn't love mac and cheese? This is so perfect because it can please a wide variety of people. Little kids will like it plain and the grown-ups can jazz up their mac with toppings like bread crumbs, bacon bits, tomatoes, and a billion other things. This can even be dressed up to fit into a more formal wedding. Instead of regular elbow shaped pasta try the little spirals or instead of little bowls dish up the mac and cheese in little martini glasses!

4. The Candy Bar
- I know, lots of different types of bars, but I don't really care cause they are so darn cute! This is very versatile and cost efficient. You can buy they candy in bulk and its dirt cheap. You don't need servers because you are just putting it in bowls. Also this can double as a party favor. Put little to go bags on the table and your guests can scoop up some candy and take it with them as a favor!!!

5. The Pancake on a Stick
-I'm not sure why, but put anything on a stick and I pretty much think its adorable... something about all that portability.... These would be absolutely perfect for a morning wedding when you are serving a brunch type meal after. Pancakes are cheap because there isn't much too them but people are just gonna gush about cute they are!

6. The Milk and Cookie Shooter
- These are cute and comforting all at the same time. On your wedding day everything is gonna stress you out. every. little. thing. So why not have something at your reception that is just straight up comforting. These shooters are way cute and if you wanted you could mix it up with different types of cookies. I personally would just stick chocolate chip because I think it would be beneficial to keep something simple on a day when everything else is soo complicated. I want one of these. Like now.


I hope these ideas gave everyone some inspiration, whether it be idea for your wedding... or just what to eat for dinner!

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings
Lauren

A Symbol of Love

 "One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills"
~Ava, age 8

Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday! Today I want to discuss another thing about weddings. I have been to like a jillion weddings and the ones that always make an impression are the ones that have some type of releasal at the end. Ya know like butterflies or doves or something. So in this blog I thought I would give you my opinions about which ones I think are the most beautiful and then some tips to make sure you are being safe and environmentally responsable.

 

1. Dove Release

- Doves are a very important symbol in the christian religions, one that is seen many times in biblical texts. Doves are gorgeous and majestic and so ridiculously romantic. However there are several things you need to take into account if you are going to do a dove release. You need to make sure that the doves you pick are properly trained for homing. In other words you want to make sure that when you release the doves they know how to fly back to their roost. So on a cruise... dove release...not ideal....

2. Butterfly Release

- A butterfly is also powerful christian symbol but I also think it is a good symbol for marriage. The whole going into the cacoon and turning into something beautiful, pretty romantic. However it can be very tricky to orchestrate. Butterflies do not home like doves so when you let them go you just sorta let them go... It's important to research what sort of butterflies can live in the climate in the certain season you are releasing in. Otherwise you are sending them to their deaths. Also you might want to check out the area you are releasing in before hand. A bunch of crows that live in a tree near by eating your butterflies as you release them might spoil your mood a bit.

3. Balloon release
- Ok I know what you are thinking, AH BALLOONS GET IN THE OCEAN AND KILL SEALS AND WHALES AND STUFF. But dont worry I did my research and thankfully that is soo not how it goes down. Apparently when you release a balloon, as long as it isn't carrying too much weight, it goes up to five miles above the ground and then shatters into a billion little pieces... seriously I'm not making it up. One important fact though, is that you need to make sure the balloons are 100% latex. Latex is completely biodegradeable, in other words completely safe. You will not hurt the environment with a balloon release. It is recommended, however, that you limit the amount of balloons released tied together to 10. It can cause a hazard to airplanes if you release like 100 balloons tied together.

Well that is my take on wedding releases. I don't know if they will release anything at the royal wedding but I do think they are royally romantic and I most def see one in my wedding future.

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings
Lauren

HATily ever after

"I enjoy hats. And when one has filthy hair, that is a good accessory."

~ Julia Roberts

I think hats are a great fashion piece. They have a long and strong history, and while I personally think that hats are always in fashion, they have recently been brought back into the forefront of fashion by the highly popular Kare Middleton. So since this week I'm doing wedding themed blogs I decided to discuss an aspect of wedding I feel that is sadly neglected and that hats could totally fix. The leaving outfit! You know the outfit that you go to the airport in or leave your reception in. I know we all want to stay in that glorious wedding gown as long as possible but just wear it on your anniversary or something. I think it is very important to have an outfit to wear as you are leaving the reception and going on to your next stop. I mean its one more opportunity to look absolutely fabulous... why pass it up?!?

In my head I have always seen myself leaving my reception running under the rice or bubbles or whatever in a fabulous hat with a veil and all that jazz. It's probably because my mom wore a hat and I have seen it in pictures. For whatever reason it has always been an unshakable idea in my head. And with the royal wedding coming soon, and it being mandatory to wear a hat to the big day I think its the prefect time to explore the world of hats. Here are my top five favorite types of hats to wear with a simple outfit to make sure you look elegant whether spectating or fleeing!

 

1. The Wide Brim

- This is a classic shape for a hat. I like wide brims, but i like them with only simple adornments. Sometimes people have a tendency to think that the more stuff you put on them the more rich and fashionable you look. I think you eventually you just look like you are wearing a craft closet on your head. A simple bow will do you. This hat can go with a wide variety of outfits but try to keep whatever it is form fitting. With all that size and shape on your head if you wear something with a lot of volume on the bottom you will just end up looking spacious and not elegant.

2. The Pillbox with a Veil

- The pillbox hat is a style that always reminds me of the 40's and 50's and small little white gloves. Its such a feminine little accessory and I adore it. I feel like for a wedding it really needs a veil. If veils are not your thing you could certainly wear it without it. But let me tell you when I get married I need everyone to know I am the bride and the veil helps me accomplish that. Plus I think short veils like this are super flirty and intriguing. ( credit for picture "The pillbox photo was me (Katie Greiner) taken by Christa Taylor in Portland, Oregon, and is by Unveiled Designs - MUAH Caprice Hammon")

3. The Fascinator

- The fascinator has become widely popular lately all thanks to Kate Middleton. She has rocked the fascinator at several different appearances and I say keep it coming. They are perfect for people like me who have slightly bigger heads and have a hard time finding hats that fit. Fascinators come in a wide variety of shapes sizes and colors. they are the perfect thing to add some sparkle to an outfit. I sorta want to wear one like everyday....

4. The Cloche

- This hat is originally from the 20's but it is making a resurgence. I think this hat is suited for a more subdued personality. But just because there are no feathers doesn't mean that this hat is any less elegant or alluring. I do however think this hat is more suited to the winter months or maybe if its in a jewel tone the spring. In the summer it may look a little silly. I can see this hat paired with a tailored skirt suit in a cool color. Tres chic!

5. The Fedora

- This hat is a little more casual yet still elegant and interesting. Floral is really in right now and I really like the idea of a floral or some other pattern instead of boring old straw or felt or whatever else. This is for your wedding, we cant have hum drum we must have fabulous!!!! I like the fedora and it goes well with a ponytail. Which if you had a really elegant hair style for your ceremony a pony tail will be a welcome comfort.

OK those are my top picks for hats. And while I picked these for after a wedding, these can be options for a multitude of other occasions. I think hats are magnificent are seriously neglected. So go find a hat and put it on!

Love, Laughter and God's Blessings

Lauren