Holiday Weekends + Link Love

I cannot even begin to tell all of you how happy I am that it's Friday! Not only has it been an impossibly long and stressful week, I am so very much looking forward to a three-day weekend. While I have no (current) beach plans like I did last weekend-the above photo was at Jones Beach out on Long Island-I'll be catching up with friends in town, celebrating a couple birthdays and trying to get a little me time in before NYFW starts next week! 

Link Love has been MIA for a few weeks by and large because I've been too swamped to spend much time kicking around the Internet. Thankfully, I've got friends who key me in to all the good stuff and a few sites I drop by once or twice a week.


Hallie shared a great list of how she preps for NYFW (which reminded me I hadn't done hardly anything! Definitely using this as loose guidelines each season from here on out).

An incredibly cool infographic of NYC & how it's changed since Bloomberg took office.

Sephora is clearancing out their nail polish line. Sorry, bank account!

This hilarious guide to Land of the Hipsters, aka Brooklyn courtesy of Refinery29.

Fall must, courtesy of Elizabeth and James.

How to take care of your lingerie.

Perfect art addition for anywhere in your place: Max Wanger prints.

I found a new favorite coffee & bagel house in my neighborhood.

I'm starting to change my mind about perforated boots, thanks to French Connection.

The coolest clutches I've seen.

Currently reading some more Bill Bryson, but thinking this might be next on my list.

A kick-ass card (literally).

Oh, good-reasons why you WANT your mind to wander!

How to ask for a raise.

Need decor inspiration? Look no further.

Finally going to Peels for brunch this weekend!


What caught your eye this week? Have a great (long) weekend!

Coney Island in DC

As I'm sure you all know, Coney Island is NOT in D.C., but I did bring a little of it down there with me (courtesy of Zara). I spent this weekend with my family, seeing all the main sites again and doing a little damage to my bank account with my sister while my mom and brother looked at houses (he's planning on buying one, pretty exciting!).

I apologize in advance for the slightly off photos, but my sister's learning. Sort of. Enjoy the nice view of the Spy Museum if you need a distraction!

T-Shirt, Zara | Blazer, Charlotte Russe (old, similar) | Jeans, Joe's | Boots, Kelsi Dagger (old, similar)

Bracelets, Sequin | Rings, gift & vintage | Nail polish, Sephora by OPI

Earrings, Sequin

 Necklace, MUZ Designs

I'm off to Cold Spring with a friend for the weekend-can't wait to do some hiking & antique browsing! Hope everyone has a good weekend.

xx

Sunday Brunch Sparkle

I spent my Sunday trying to get back to normal this weekend...by taking the train into the city and getting brunch, of course! I met up with Jessica, Jenny, and Tracy and we attempted a go at Alice's Tea Cup Chapter II, but learned they don't take same day reservations (boo, but lesson learned). We ended up at a diner around the corner on Lexington, then strolled to the park to snap some photos. Luckily, Sandy didn't take ALL the fall leaves with her.

(P.S. I know my hair looks a little crazy, but I'm going to take this opportunity to blame it on the hurricane. Next time, I'll have to find a better excuse).

Scarf, a street vendor in Italy | Sweater, Zara | Jeans, Joe's Jeans

Shoes, Jeffrey Campbell

Alexandrite ring, gift from my sister | Skeleton Key Ring, Ashley Nizolek (on sale!)

 Nail Polish (two colors) both Sephora by OPI

Bracelets, Sequin

I purchased this sweater as an I-survived-the-hurricane present to myself, and I'm already in love with it. The nails I had to try after reading a new tutorial that promised a better gradient, although I'm not convinced it was the best tactic! One nail came out great, but the rest didn't blend as well as I'd like. Still, I'm in love with the deep purple + rich turquoise combo. 

Thanks Jen for shooting my photos!

xx

Southwestern Details

The weekend before last (I'm slow on this one, I know) I met up with Jessica for a walk through Central Park when we both needed a break from working; we were hoping to catch the leaves in beautiful shades of fall, but they've been a bit slow at turning here! Hopefully we'll get a chance to fully check it out next weekend, when they should be at their best. We walked through & stopped to watch a few of the three different wedding parties we came across taking photos, & Jessica snapped a few photos of my layered look for the day.

Coat, Zara (similar) | Tights, Hue (purchased at Von Maur) | Boots, Steve Madden (old)

Manicure detailed here. Rings, gifted & vintage purchases.

Sweater, BB Dakota | Dress, Free People

Necklace, gift from my mom

I have to say I've been really into the southwestern details and patterns popping up in fashion this season, so this won't be the last you've seen of these geometric, western patterns & thick, cozy materials in my clothes.

Glitter Gradient Nails

I have had so many comments & questions about my most recent manicure, a teal polish with a copper glitter gradient on top, that I knew I had to post about it! I was even asked this weekend if I got the idea from Pinterest, but my friends & I have been doing manicures like this for quite some time.

A quick backstory about me & nail polish: I was a terrible, horrible nail biter my entire life, & I mean biting until my nails would bleed, until the last few months of college when I suddenly stopped cold turkey. I found that having my nails done nicely gave me incentive to let them grow, so I quickly mastered a variety of at-home manis and watched my polish collection grow from a couple of drugstore brand bottles to 150+ including OPI, Sephora, Butter London, Illamasqua & Julep (a lot of them have been gifted to me over the last few years! My friends are very aware of my affinity). Spending all my summer days working at a pool gave me some good practice with them, too.

Polish, all listed below. Rings, unique finds/gifts. Full outfit post to follow!

Orly Bonder Base Coat | Seche Vite Top Coat

OPI  in Cuckoo For This Color | Sephora by OPI in Don't Be Egg-noxious

Costmetic Wedges

This mani is pretty simple. I always start by wiping my nails with a swipe of polish remover to get rid of any dirt or soap/lotion residue, and follow up with two layers of base coat. I'm currently using Orly Bonder, pictured above, but my favorite is CND Stickey. I also only do one hand at a time, or I'll screw up the other one for sure! For this, I applied two even coats of polish and let it dry til it was just a little bit tacky, then I painted some of the glitter topcoat on the end of the cosmetic sponge and gently pushed it into the teal polish from the tip, working my way up until I covered about half the nail. Follow that up with two coats of Seche Vite, and voilà!

Beauty Must-Haves

I don't wear a lot of makeup on a day to day basis, but anyone who knows me is aware of my affinity for Sephora, and even more so of my love for nail polish...but more on that later! I put together some of my favorite products from my favorite beauty store, starting with skin care. Taking care of your skin should always be the first step to looking your best (and this really starts with drinking plenty of water).

I tend to try different brands all the time when I need a new product, but I've been loyally using Perricone MD Hypoallergenic Gentle Cleanser for three years now. I have very sensitive skin (I've had eczema since I was 12) and this gets all my makeup off in one go without irritating my skin. I received a sample of this Murad Clarifying Mask last year and I loved it so much, I bought the full size tube. I can very literally see a difference in my skin every time I rinse it off. Last on my musts for skincare-sunscreen!!! I spent seven years as a full-time outdoor lifeguard in the summer and I've seen every shade of bad sunburn there is, so I'm pretty adamant about getting proper sun protection. I've switched brands a few times and have finally settled on this Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection for Face SPF 55 PA+++. The higher price is worth it because I can put this on the the morning, let it absorb and put makeup on top within five minutes without any greasy residue & it has a great, light scent. I always make sure to cover my entire face, neck and rub the extra in my hands, even in the winter!

I switch blush back and forth between NARS Blush in Orgasm (a must-have classic) and Urban Decay Afterglow Cheek Tint in Quickie, which I received as a sample through Sephora before purchasing. Both blend like a dream and give the perfect flush, every time.

I don't actually own the Urban Decay Naked Palette yet but I've used a friend's before and I'm DYING to get my hands on one! It's got every shade you need for day or night, any outfit. They also make a great Shadow Pencil, which I run under my eyes or along my top lashes in Delinquent to bring out the green in them. I'm also a fan of Clinique High Impact Mascara, which gives me easy volume and length without clumping quickly.

Lastly, my favorite parts about my makeup routine! As I'm sure you've guessed by now, I'm a huge fan of color in all areas of my style. I change my nails every few days, & this Sephora by OPI in Screen Test is one of my latest picks for a pop of color. If you remember from my post about OCC Lip Tar, I've decided to make a bright pink lip my "thing," & this YSL Sheer Candy Gloss in Succulent Pomegranate is a quick way to add a sheer, bright lip. My other go-to is this NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Carthage, which I wear pretty regularly. I love their matte lipsticks-I have a few other colors, but this one definitely makes it out of my beauty drawer most.

What are your go-to beauty products? (I'm always on the lookout for something new to try!)