Friday, March 28, 2014

Weekend Window Shopping: Locket Necklaces

Marianne and I both have a locket necklace that we wear a lot. Like, a lot. I might also have two more that I don't wear quite as much, but there's always room for another one...













And, to file under Money Is No Object:








All The Goats.



A: Ahhhhh! This article!!

M: UNNNNNH

A: I'm worried about his junk.

M: I don't want to talk about stupid fish.

A: THEY GONNA BITE HIS WIENER.

M: MOTHER NATURE GAVE US DAVID BECKHAM BECAUSE SHE LOVES US.

A: I KILL THOSE FISH.

M: Those fish wouldn't dare.

A: You are making me feel better about this. A bit.

M: Stop worrying about David Beckhams penis. You're doing it wrong.

A: I don't think so:



M: Squeak! Clapping high five heart eyes emoji.

A: Goat goat goat!

M: All the goats.

A: *Happy sigh*

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Marianne: Flares, Again.

I have tried flares before and no. Nope. The AG Farrahs just did NOT work on me.The wash was too light, the denim was too soft and stretchy, and they just weren't flattering. But am I the only one experiencing Skinny Jean Fatigue? I've been wearing my Pilcro Stet Slim Boot jeans to DEATH, so when I saw these Pilcro Superscript Flares on eBay, I made a ridiculously lowball offer (always make an offer!) and got them. And they are great!
The wash is darker but still has some of that retro faded vibe (though I'm kind of loving this even darker wash). The denim is much more substantial and the wide, two-button high waist is flattering. I ordered a size smaller than usual because I've lost some weight, and they are a touch tight, but in another 3-4 pounds they will be perfect.
These jeans look best paired with flowy tops (and my favorite locket looks best with this kind of top too!), so I am finally wearing the Pale Sky Swiss Dot Blouse I got for Christmas. I don't know what took me so long? It's really pretty and 50% off right now if you want to snap one up. I think it would be cute with white jeans if it EVER warms up.
I finally put my beloved Rocco away for the winter and drug out this muted gold Marc by Marc Jacobs Mag Bag (they don't make it any more but this one is a similar shape and color). It's a little beat up but I still love it. And of course, my early spring footwear of choice, clogs. For crying out loud it's almost April, can it please be sandal weather? Sigh.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Blog Uncoupling.

M: http://www.buzzfeed.com/whitneyjefferson/gwyneth-paltrow-and-chris-martin-separate

A: Awww. That makes me a little sad.

M: I know. But of course she put it on Goop.


A: I have issues with that.

M: "Conscious uncoupling"

M: Unrelated, this Glamoflauge business might be legit.

A: Ew? On the first. Ohhh? On the second.

M: I mean, I just put some on my hand but you can't see the blue vein underneath. And I used a teeny bit.

M: This is my "not bad, eh?" face.


A: Your EYELASHES. Dang, girl.

A: Did I miss a serious opportunity in not announcing my divorce on the blog? Is that what people are doing these days?

M: I'm disappointed that you didn't hold a press conference. You could have worn something somber but fierce.

A: I just ask that you all give me my privacy during this difficult time. And send me concealer recs.

M: Which brings me back to Glamoflaugewhich you should buy immediately.

A: It's at...Walmart.

M: I ordered it from Amazon because I will pay more to not have to get in my car and drive to Walmart.

A: Walmart is like the machine from The Princess Bride. It sucks life-years out of me.

M: I mean it's a lot cheaper at Walmart but not worth the year off my life.

A: Exactly. I really want to give Benefit's Erase Paste another shot.

M: I also ordered some NYX concealer because it was like $4, but it's way too dark.

A: NYX is at Target now! I like the brow pencil thingy.

M: They make my current favorite eye primer, which thanks to you I now put UNDER my eye and wow, what a difference.

A: I told you to do that?

M: Didn't you? Am I giving you undue credit? Because it keeps the concealer on and reduces creasing.

A: That wasn't me, but I'm sure I've given you lots of amazing advice about other things.

A: Like, LOTS.

A: Hello?

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Adrien: Spring-y.

I have kind of given up on waiting for it to be warm and am wearing my spring stuff anyway because, show of hands, who wants to burn their winter coat on a pyre? Meeeee! I'm basically freezing in these photos, but I don't care. This is a pretty basic go-to look for me, skinny jeans, floaty top, cardigan, cute shoes:


The top is an old one from Ann Taylor and, like this one, it's just the easiest thing to wear. I'm hoping to find more like it and have my eye on this one because I love the print. Also, I recently bought one that looks just like this but can't decide if I can pull it off or not. Hmm.


My shoes are ancient Chie Mihara but these are available and amazing. (If budget doesn't allow for CM this is the cutest inexpensive pair of red mary janes I've seen in a while.) My jeans are James Jean Couture Skinny and they've been getting a lot of wear this past winter. (I reviewed them here if you care.) They keep their shape better than any pair of skinny jeans I've ever owned, and that is high praise.  


My bag is Andrea Brueckner, or as I like to call it, my Poor Girl's Bayswater. Brueckner bags aren't available anymore, but occasionally one pops up on eBay. This one is beautiful and a good price! Go git it. 

Monday, March 24, 2014

BUY THIS (So We Don't Have To): Anthropologie Zambi Popover.

Oh, Anthro. You're pulling us back in. Marianne mentioned in this entry that she's obsessed with this Anthro top and now it's on sale:

Zambi Popover

Good, right? I love a graphic print and the yellow trim keeps it from being too severe. Anthropologie has some good stuff in the sale section right now! This dress is completely cute, I want these earrings badly and this is so cute it makes my teeth hurt. Dammit, Anthro. 

Cleanse Buddy?




A: I have way, way, too much to say about this but I will just highlight this one sentence from the detox section:

 "we supplement with herbal teas, hot water with lemon or ginger, and room temperature water."

M: Don't get crazy and drink cold water, fatty.

A: Well, and apparently after we swing around some 3lb weights and drink our warmish water, we should get spray tanned and waxed.

M: Sorry, I was just out buying my supplemental flogger and hair shirt, just to round out the torture.

A: Marianne, Tracy Anderson is happy to explain the 800 ways you're lacking in springtime readiness.

M: You can't make me listen to that demented poppet.

A: I feel like I've finally deprogrammed you!

M: I will say that her post-partum video is really good. I know. She's still awful. I'll just see myself out.

A: Come back! It's okay, just me here with my hulking spin-class thighs. If only I'd listened to her.

M: I'm sorry I just drank cold water and gained 50 pounds. :(

A: Dude, cold water? Why not just eat a tube of cookie dough?

M: BRB, plucking out my leg hairs one at a time with tweezers.

A: Will you be my cleanse buddy?

M: Always.

A: Gin soaked cotton ball?

M: Okay just ONE.

A: I like mine with a tiny hint of lemon.

M: Heifer.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Our Big Break.

A: We need a cute boy.

M: I vote the guy in Divergent. Saw him on Go Fug Yourself and he's appealing.

A: This guy? I feel nothing:




M: He's like Two Face. Sometimes I see potential:




M: Sometimes a LOT of potential:




A: Oh, HI. I just felt something. He maybe just needs a few more years on his face.

A: And is it me or does he look like Harry Connick Jr here:




M: Yes and YES. There's some seriously good bone structure.

A: Well, and Harry is looking GOOD these days.




A: (Hi! I am an old person.)

M: Let's cast them as dashing Father-Son bank robbers!

A: I love it! A caper with Junior and Third!

M: I don't know what that means but okay!

A: Harry is a Junior and...you know what? It doesn't matter. Our movie is going to be amazing.

M: Guess who is playing the part of stern detective?




A: MEEP. YES.

M: Hollywood, call us!

A: We're waiting!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Adrien: Enlighten Me.

Y'all probably already know I'm a concealer junkie, as I've posted about it quite a few times. My under eye circles are ferocious and epic and no product I've ever tried has ever really truly covered them. Not ever. But I keep trying, I keep falling for it, hopeful that one day I'll find a product that makes my under eyes glow like the light around Cate Blanchett.

glorious.

But I'm real tired of buying concealers that don't really work. And that brings me to the obnoxious milquetoast friend of concealer: the highlighter/luminizer/brightener. Now, I have fallen for those too, more times than I can tell you. I have bought all manner of pen highlightery-brightenery things: From the exalted crazy expensive cult favorite to the cheap drugstore cult favorite. I even have a tub of illuminating under eye powder that people swear by:

meh.

None of it makes a damn bit of difference. Its all crrrrrap. Total bullshit!  (Do I sounds bitter? I am a little bitter.)

Most recently I bought this Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer (too! many! words!) because people SWEAR BY IT. Lifechanging! Ahhhmazing. All kinds of great reviews about how perfect it is for brightening and covering under eye circles.

lame.

Nope. The pain of this one? I bought it twice. Yes, I really am that dumb. A few years ago I bought it and was very underwhelmed but recently I bought it again, convinced that I'd just gotten the wrong color. Nope, it's basically useless. Thin, dry, crease-y, oddly pink. Bleh.

I should back up and say that I've had great luck with other types of luminizing products. The Laura Mercier luminous primer is crazy amazing if you mix a little in with your foundation. It gives just the right amount of glow without being glittery. And I really like Benefit Watts Up under my brow bone and in the corners of my eyes. Glowy perfection. (And I am not above being intrigued by the new Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders everyone is freaking out over. I'm curious.)

not lame.

So, I ask you guys. I beg you. What am I missing here?  Am I doing it wrong? Have we all been duped? Is there some amazing under eye product that will give me actual results?

PS. I'm still using the Nars Radiant concealer and it's really good, but not fantastic. For the price, I feel like it should be fantastic.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Marianne: My Makeup Wishlist

Inspired by Adrien's oh-so-well-thought-out Spring wishlist, I thought I'd share what I am currently coveting, beauty-wise. I'm working on a more thought out clothing wishlist for Spring and summer, but for now I'm loving these things...

I have been wanting to try Dior Addict Lip Glow since it came out but UGH. It's hard to swallow the price tag for...lip balm? Fancy magical lip balm? Tell me you've tried it and it is wonderful awful. Talk me into it out of it. 



As someone obsessed with both my eyebrows and Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick, it only makes sense that I try the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color, yes? Yes.



What trickery is this? No Foundation Foundation? The bullshit odor is strong with this one and YET. I want to try it. Because it's getting warmer and No Foundation Foundation sounds dreamy.



My skin is breaking out again. I don't really want to talk about it. Maybe this crap would help. Sigh.



My skin breaking out makes me want to spend WAY TOO MUCH MONEY ON CONCEALER. I still don't want to talk about it.



Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation has been great all winter but it's looking a little heavy for spring. I've been using some Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation that I had stashed in the fridge, but my makeup artist friend is basically strong-arming me into buying this stuff. She says it's the best:



BTW, she says the best powder for setting/mattifying is NOT the HD powder (that's more for blurring/smoothing), rather this loose powder so I want that TOO. Ugh.

Does Spring make you want to overhaul your makeup and beauty routine?

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Adrien: Spring Wish List.

I thought I did pretty well with my fall wish list. Creating it helped me to focus on what I really needed, rather than buying whatever shiny thing crossed my path. So, with the hopes of keeping that focus for spring, here is my wishlist:


Non-boring wedge sandals.

Toms Serpentine wedge

I found the Toms snakeskin wedges when I was searching for sandal ideas and I can't stop thinking about them. They aren't the *most* versatile sandal but I love them and they'd be just the thing to wear with a really simple dress.  Last year's wedge sandals were a fun purchase, but they're so tall I was always worried I'd bust my ass. This year I'm going for a more wearable height! I'll also admit that Toms has been producing quite a few cute sandals. Worth keeping in mind for summer.


Red cropped pants.

BR Hampton Fit crop

Maybe you're noticing a theme here from the Weekend Window Shopping posts, but Marianne and I have both been a little obsessed with red pants lately - she wants jeans, I want crops. I recently tried on the Old Navy Pixie pants (cheap and weird!), Boden's Bistro crop (odd fit), and Banana Republic's Hampton-Fit crop. The BR pair fit the best, so those might be what I go with.

Fun print blouses.

Anthropologie Mahdia Top
I definitely depend too much on t-shirts and a washable peasant-style blouse with a fun print is just as easy and looks a lot more put-together. I recently bought this one but I'd also like a few more. Something like the one above from Anthro and I LOVE this one. I already bought Marianne's Kaveri Henley but I haven't decided if I'm keeping it. (I think it looks way cuter on her.)


Really great t-shirts.

Everlane V
Despite what I just said, I do actually wear t-shirts a lot and there's no point in thinking I'm going to stop completely. That said, I would like to upgrade from my usual Old Navy favorite to something more enduring. Everlane has really interesting shapes and at $15 a pop for a made in the USA item? Worth checking out.


A new Magic Dress.

Old Navy tank dress
Every year I search for my Magic Dress. In years past it's come from Target, Loft, and American Eagle. It needs to be simple, flattering and washable. This one looks like it might have MD potential. Or maybe this one?


Big Pendant Necklace.

crashandduchess
Hey, you know that brass locket I wear all the time? Like, ALL THE TIME? I feel like I need to give it a break and find a new pendant to over-wear. I'm thinking about a big silver key and I really like this one on Etsy. I might also finally buy that House of Harlow pendant I've wanted for a million years.

Yay for spring! What are you guys thinking about buying?

Monday, March 17, 2014

Adrien: Crazy Balls.

I'm trying to stop complaining about the weather but I have to explain that when these outfit photos were taken it was below freezing and windy and I was COLD. And the light was weird. And this outfit went off the rails a little bit, but I don't hate it.


I really wanted to wear a chocolate brown or dark teal cardigan with this but I don't actually own a chocolate brown or dark teal cardigan so I was basically hosed. Did I mention it's cold? So I threw on my peacock Martin + Osa cardigan out of shivery poodle desperation and...actually?  I don't hate it with the red skirt. And the print blouse. And my crazy J.Crew necklace. There's a lot going on here.


Speaking of red skirts, you should probably get one if you don't have one already. I bought the one I'm wearing about a million years ago and it's still going strong. I wear it all year round and it goes with nearly everything. I'd suggest this one or maybe this one. Ooh, or this one


My boots are Frye (similar Frye style) and my bag is MBMJ (similar MBMJ style) and my bracelets are Giles & Brother skinny railroad spike cuffs which I highly recommend.