Centsibly Chic post

Here's my latest Wasatch Woman magazine blog post.
Check it out.
http://www.wasatchwoman.com/blogs.php?cont=post&id=127

Closet Chaos

My first blog post for Wasatch Woman magazine. New posts every Thursday.
http://www.wasatchwoman.com/blogs.php?cont=indv&id=15

Fashion without the fortune

Check out my article "Becoming Cents-ibly chic" at Wasatch Woman Magazine and starting Thursday, follow my blog on the same subject!

Not your grandmother's knitting

These are by designer Sandra Backlund from her current and previous collections. My jaw hit the floor when I saw these. I do a little crocheting, but I'm thinking I may need to switch to knitting. These pieces are admittedly not extremely wearable, but the inventiveness in each piece (not to mention the time!) is truly inspiring to me. Just fabulous.

New Year, New Me?

Well, not exactly. I did chop my hair, though. As some of you may know I went blond over the summer. I liked it, but it just wasn't me, so I decided to go back to brunette. Unfortunately, my hair was a little worse for wear and was basically dead from my ears down. After much consideration, I decided for a fun, short cut. I like it particularly because I love the messy look. So, I'm quite happy with it...

Relief: removal or lightening of something oppressive, painful, or distressing

I got my final grades and, thank heaven, I passed all my classes. Two A-s and a C+. So, ya, I'm pretty happy with it all. Also, I played around with some green eye shadow today. I'm really starting to dig the colored eye shadow thing.

Now for some coffee...

I was totally inspired today when I found this blog. I only looked over it for a few minutes, so I'm not sure what this girl does for a living. But she does some of the most amazing makeup. She's very adventurous with her eye makeup in particular, and it made me want to be adventurous, too. And what an easy thing to do, even with as little expendable income as I have. Though not near as daring as anything she's done (seriously, check it out, it's amazing) I tried something a little new today. Purple is the only interesting color I have right now, so I tried that with some liquid eyeliner that I've been afraid to play with. Nothing too crazy, but fun nonetheless. I liked it and I think I'll keep playing around in the future. Now I just need to hit the drugstore! Or ELF!!

"Hair style is the final tip-off whether or not a woman really knows herself" Hubert de Givenchy

I was having a little fun on instyle.com yesterday. You can upload a picture of yourself and try on different stars' hairstyles. And it's completely free. Hours of fun. So, here's a few looks I was playing around with. What do you think?

Did I mention HOURS OF FUN!

(p.s. sorry about the smile, I hate my smile.)

Mama's got a brand new bag

Big Bags by r_hansen84

Since I started taking classes at the University's main campus this semester, I begrudgingly bought a backpack. I put it off until a week before school started, because I just hate backpacks! I felt like a dorky freshman allover again (no offense, freshmen), walking around campus with that awful thing on my shoulders. And on top of that, it's very hard to dress in anything but jeans and sweaters when you're wearing a backpack. They just don't lend themselves to trendier outfits. I thought I was doomed. Turns out, I was just a little slow to catch up. A big trend this year has been these large handbags. I just bought the gray one from Wetseal and now I feel like all my troubles are over. I just love it. It's low key enough to wear with a sweater and jeans, but if I feel like dressing up a bit, it goes well with that, too. I made sure and bought gray because that way I can wear it with any color. Gray is the new black of fall/winter I think. The only downfall is that my semester just ended, so I'll have to wait four weeks to truly try this baby out. But I am still so pleased with this bag. It's rare to find something that fit an idea so perfectly.

"The average girl would rather have beauty than brains because she knows the average man can see much better than he can think" Unknown

E.L.F. by r_hansen84

I found this website a while ago and got very excited about it. I was a little nervous when I first ordered some makeup from them because I was afraid the price reflected the quality. I was very pleased when the makeup turned out to be good quality. I haven't had a problem with anything from e.l.f. yet. So I thought I'd share the site and a few things I plan to get in the near future. Enjoy.

"Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or kick-ass red lipstick." Gwyneth Paltrow

I've always been fascinated by red lips. I love the way it looks. So glamorous and timeless. But I've been to afraid to try it until now. I found a shade that I think works for my skin tone. Now I feel like I'm wearing way too much make-up. And all I have on is the lipstick and mascara. So, I ask you. Can I pull off red lipstick?

It's beginning to look a lot like.... Autumn?

Happy December everyone! I can hardly believe that November is over. It seemed really fast this year. It really doesn't feel like December in Utah at all. The temperature is in the 50s and there's hardly any snow on the mountains, let alone on the ground where I am. It's pretty crazy. I was looking through my closet last night and realized, I have almost no winter clothes! How did that happen? Someone must be stealing my clothes!!!

Oh, wait! I remember. I thought I was being smart when I cleaned out my closet last spring. You know, instead of keeping all the "clutter." Ya, big mistake. I vow never to throw away clothes that haven't fallen apart again. Now I need to replenish my wardrobe; which will be no easy task considering I have no job and therefore no money. And there's just so much cute stuff I want. ~sigh~

(Gloves, Black trench, Beret & Leg warmers from Modcloth.com; Sweater vest from Charlotte Russe; Blazer from Banana Republic; Ruffle top from Gap.)

I think I need to find a job!

You gotta love Rihanna

I just saw Rihanna's new video "Rehab" and it's pretty great. First, the style is amazing. The clothes she wears are so sexy. She's definitely one of today's best style icons. Aside from the fabulous clothes, can we say "Hello Justin!" Now, I find Mr. Timberlake quite attractive on his own, but in this video he takes on a submissive role that not only screams Girl Power, but makes him even hotter. And somehow Rihanna pulls it off without looking skanky or dominating. She's the one pursuing, while still being uber feminine. Very nice music video.

Pretty Necklace

So, I tried my hand at something new and I'm very pleased with the way it turned out...

I just love the look of these necklaces. I had a lot of fun making them. They're quite versatile too, since you can wear the bow in the front or the back and adjust the length with the size of the bow. They're even cute as bracelets.

Who knows, maybe I'll start selling them. Make my millions off necklaces.

Stylista?

Really? It seems to me that someone had a light switch turn on in their brain as they watched 'The Devil Wears Prada' a few years ago. Anne Slowey, though a very talented and successful person, seemed completely fake. From her perma-snarl on her face to the awful way she tromped in her heels, it seemed like a complete act. And if it's not, well that's even more sad. The premise intrigues me. Though I'm starting to get a little tired of reality shows (ANTM is just getting sad) the idea of working for a magazine like Elle is very exhilarating. So, I know that despite the petty fights these people will get into (does no one ever grow up?) I will be watching every Wednesday night if for no other reason than to get a peek into the world I would love to live in one day.

Follow-up: My Bipolar Body Image

So, after hearing that basically everyone suffers from "Agh, is that me?!?" syndrome when they see themselves in pictures, I went back to look at some of mine and I decided it was the way I'm posed that makes me look 30 pounds heavier than I feel. So, I decided I'd check the Internet for tips on how to look good in pictures. Though I'm not sure they'd all work for impromptu pictures, if you get used to them, they could become second nature.

• Always turn partially sideways with your weight on your back foot.
• To minimize appearance of a double chin, pull head slightly forward and press your tongue to the roof of your mouth.
• Watch your posture! Pull shoulders back, chest up, and there's no shame is sucking in, but only a little. You don't want it to look like you were sucking in.
• Use items you're holding to camouflage areas on your body you're self conscious about. Like holding your purse in front of your stomach.
• Hold arms just slightly away from your body to keep the upper arm from looking flabby. But don't look like you're about to fly away.
• If you're planning a photo, opt for a monochromatic look. One color from head to toe is always slimming, even if it's not black, though darks are better at this than lights.
• Invest in some Spanx. I don't think there's a woman out there that couldn't benefit from some Spanx!
• Finally, to get a fresh, natural looking smile, look away from the camera, then turn towards it and smile just before it takes the shot. This is not easy, and takes some practice to master

I'm sure it would take some practice to master these. And if you're going to practice, do it behind closed doors so you don't look like a crazy person. Really, though, pictures aren't about looking back and thinking, "Mmmm, smokin'!" They're for memories. Remembering a great experience you had. So, I guess just stop stressing and smile. It's better than not having a picture at all.

Sources: http://beauty.about.com/od/hairstylephotogalleries/qt/photopose.htm

I'm starting to get concerned

So, I was cleaning my bathroom today and as I was sweeping, I noticed something. There was a ton of my hair on the floor. It looked like I was sweeping up at a salon. I'm worried that I'm losing too much hair. I Googled it and found out that it's normal to lose about 100 to 200 strands per day, but this doesn't really help me, since I'm not counting my hair every day. Every time I do my hair in the morning, the bathroom is covered in hair. And not just full strands, but lost of little broken strands. And when I take a shower, it seems like there is a ton that falls out. I'm starting to think I've over processed it in the last six months or so. But, I can't go without blowdrying and straightening my hair. It's just not an option. And I don't have to keep dying it, but I know I will, cause this color is just not pretty when it fades. So, I'm not sure what to do. I just hope I don't go completely bald.

Lazy dressers!

What has happened to society in the last decade? I remember when I was in highschool (about six years ago) this whole wearing-pajamas-like-they're-real-clothes thing was just starting. Girls would come to school fully dressed, and wear their fuzzy slippers. Or they'd come in cute pajama pants. I never thought it would spread to a full-on lifestyle choice. Now, whenever I go out, where ever I go, I see both men and women looking like they just rolled out of bed. And not that sexy bed-head/bedroom eyes thing. I mean sweats, oversize shirts, dirty tank tops, hair that hasn't seen a brush (or a shower for that matter) in days. I don't understand. If leaving the house and facing the real world doesn't warrant getting ready in the morning, then what does? Like those old women I've seen in the grocery store with the rollers in their hair. If you're not getting your hair done to be seen in the world, then what are you getting it done for? I've always been a fan of the casual look. There's nothing better in this world than a good pair of jeans. But I can't help but think we've gotten too casual, too lax, in the way we dress. It's to the point now that when I see a woman in a pair of heels at the mall, I think, what are you dressed up for? Does anyone else find this sad. Don't we have enough respect for ourselves to take the 15 minutes required to brush out your hair and put on a little mascara or, heaven forbid, shower on a regular basis. Seriously, what is up with the "I haven't showered in a week" look? It doesn't take much too make an effort. Does it?

What did I do without it?

So, as most of you probably know, I'm pretty addicted to shopping. I know, cliche. I'm always on the lookout for the next item that I just can't live without. During my recent search, I inadvertently purchased said item and truly cannot live without it. It is my black vest. Seriously, it goes with EVERYTHING!

I can put on jeans and a tee and by throwing the vest over it, it instantly becomes a look. Or, when I'm feeling, shall we say, boring, I'll throw it over a dress and heels, and almost get a hippie feel to it. I probably wear it too much, people are going to think I don't own anything else. But it is officially and absolutely the key piece that I cannot live with out!

Hair color...

In the past week all the girls in the office have colored their hair. Granted, there's only three of us, but it seems to be a common among women today. I can literally only think of one girl I know that does not color her hair. It makes me wonder why we feel the need to change our hair. I know there are probably a million reasons. I know why I've done it. Looking back, it's almost always because I was in need for a change. Just a few weeks ago I went blonde, after being a dark brunette all my life. I know I did it with the childish hope that the next day, I'd be skinny, popular and rich. Needless to say, nothing changed. It's not that I'm unhappy with my life, it's just that every now and then everyone needs some excitement. And since I live in a sleepy little town, hair color is a cheap and easy way for me to do that. So, that's one reason I think women color their hair. For a fleeting glimpse of what they wish their life was. Of course, I've been known to overanalyze.