Friday's Fancies: Rock the White

This week, I decided to participate in my first Friday's Fancies hosted by Long Distance Loving. The theme was "Rock the White" paying tribute to the old saying about wearing white after Memorial Day. White makes such a great base to add pops of color on top of and I was originally going to add a turquoise necklace or some coral sandals or a yellow bag, but I decided to do my best to just stick with whites and metallics. 

Dress // Belt // Necklace // Shoes // Ring // Sunglasses // Purse

I started off with a lovely white maxi dress from Topshop. I like that it's simple but elegant and makes a great base for accessories of any color. I'm crazy about high-low or "mullet" dresses, but I liked that this was a little different with the center split.

I added a thin BCBGMAXAZRIA belt to give the waist some definition. I love the contrast of the dark faux leather against the stark white. Other accessories include a draped stone necklace from Forever21 (I honestly buy almost all my accessories here), a silver Michael Kors ring, and some classic Gucci gold/white Aviator sunglasses. The ALDO wedge sandals add a sophisticated touch and the Rebecca Minkoff Mini 5-Zip M.A.C. clutch completes the look.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Question Wednesday: Changing Seasons

This week's Question Wednesday is all about the Seasons. To participate, head over to My Mane Blog.

1. What is your favorite season? What colors, scents, tastes, sounds do you associate with it?

Fall. Even though it's when school starts up again, I've always liked Fall because the weather's not too hot and not too cold. It's just right - nice and cool and breezy. Plus, I love fall fashion (break out the boots and jackets!). Also, fall tv shows are back and then there's my birthday... I would say something about the leaves changing colors but you don't see it too much in Florida :( Oh, and not to completely ignore the second part of the question, I associate it with warm, neutral colors (my favorite), the scents and tastes of pumpkin and cinnamon, and the sound of leaves blowing (:

2. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of each season?
Winter: I love the holiday season but hate the cold. Spring: Love the slightly warmer weather and flowers, but hate the bugs and rain. Summer: Love the vacations and traveling, HATE the heat. Fall: as mentioned above, love the cool weather, fashion, tv shows, and my birthday ^^ hate that it means school is back.

3. Do you have any seasonal disorders (SAD, allergies, the fall dread of school starting up or celebration of same...)?
No allergies, but I do dread the intense heat of summer. Good thing I'm an indoors girl!

4. How do you change your beauty routine as the seasons change? Do you use different products, or just different colors? (Or less makeup during one season, or more during another?)
I probably wear the least makeup during the summer because it's so hot, it'll just melt off anyway lol. Sometimes I'll just go with a tinted moisturizer and lip balm. On really humid days, I won't even bother with my hair and just throw it up in a ponytail.

5. Share your favorite winter or summer recipe! A salad, a sandwich, a dessert, a drink...anything.
My dad's hot cocoa is one of the things I look forward to the most during winter (:

What do you guys love about the seasons?

TUTORIAL: "Good As Gold" Makeup Look

Hey guys! Sorry for no updates in nearly a week. I went to New Orleans for my roommate's bachelorette party (which was UH-MAZING, and I'll be writing a post about that soon ^^). I've only been back for a day, but there seems to be so much to do and catch up on. For now, here's a tutorial video I uploaded last week for a metallic gold eye makeup look paired with peach cheeks and nude lips.

♡ PRODUCTS USED
- Maybelline Color Tattoo in "Bad to the Bronze"
- Coastal Scents 88ULTRA Shimmer Palette
- Urban Decay Naked2 Palette "Busted"
- Maybelline Line Stiletto in Black
- Rimmel Soft Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Jet Black and Sabal Brown
- Sonia Kashuk Eyeliner Palette
- Maybelline "the falsies" Volum' Express Mascara in Blackest Black
- Rimmel Style & Shine Natural Lash and Brow Mascara in Clear
- NARS Laguna Bronzer
- Coastal Scents 10Blush Palette
- MAC "Hue" Glaze Lipstick
- MAC "Naked Space" Lipglass

♡ NAILS
- China Glaze Sexy In the City
- Revlon Radiant for accent nails

♡ TOP
- Forever21

Hope you guys enjoy the look and video!

Glossybox May Anniversary Box

Happy Birthday Glossybox!

As Glossybox were celebrating their 1st Anniversary, I was really looking forward to getting my Glossybox this month. I'm happy with the products I got and I love the glossybox mirror and balloon which I think is such a cute touch! 

I did think back to the first ever Glossybox with the full sized Nars illuminator and would have loved another 'wow' product to celebrate this month, however the some of the past Glossyboxes have been really good and it is great value considering the moisturiser alone is £12!

I'm really excited to try the Neils Yard Moisturiser as my mum uses a lot of Neils Yard products and has amazing skin! I don't tend to splash out on moisturiser so it will be interesting to try. The collection gel eyeliner looks nice, although I'm not too sure about the brush, I love the maybelline eyeliner and brush so it will be good to compare them!

I also got a couple of perfume samples which smell nice, but I never really use perfume samples so i'm sure they'll end up with the rest at the back of my cupboard! The Noble isle bath and shower gel also smells good, quite manly so I'm sure my bf will be using it too!

Did everyone like what they got?
xx

Question Wednesday: Travel Edition

Time for another Question Wednesday post hosted by Nykki from My Mane Blog. This week's questions are all about one of my favorite things: TRAVEL!!

1. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be?
JAPAN!! I want to travel to so many places, but Japan tops the list. I've always found their culture and fashion fascinating and would love to one day move there for a couple months or a year doing an English teaching program or something and just live there. One day!

 2. Where is the coolest/best place you have ever traveled?
Hmm...I don't know. I went to so many awesome places last summer when I backpacked through Europe. Surprisingly, Budapest ended up being one of my favorite locations because I met some amazing people there and everything was SO cheap! I also loved Prague for its amazing food and architecture, Berlin for it's history and culture, and Dublin for it's shopping (I wouldn't have guessed that I'd do more shopping there than Milan!). But I'm going to stop now before I name every city I visited lol

3. How do you feel about road trips?
Don't mind them so much as long as I'm not driving! I HATE driving, and I have to admit I'm not a great driver either >_< But as long as I can sleep, read, listen to music, or write fan fiction on my laptop, I'm pretty good lol.

 4. You just won two tickets to your dream vacation, who's going with you?
Only one person? Uhhh... my sister although I don't think she'd appreciate it as much as me.

5. Airport security is only allowing you to take 3 make-up items with you, what are they? 
Let's hope this never happens haha! I guess my 3 essential items would be my 1) Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation, 2) Urban Decay Naked2 palette (that's not cheating, right? ), and 3) a Revlon Lip Butter.

How would you guys answer these questions? If you have a blog, be sure to participate in the hop over at Nykki's or just respond in the comments! I love reading the responses! (:

Tuesday Treats: BB Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner Pencils

Almost missed out on this week's Tuesday's Treats! To find out more about this blog hop, head on over to Frances' lovely blog, Spot of Tea (:

This week I am totally lusting after the AH-MAZING Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner Pencils by Bobbi Brown. I went to finally purchase them last week, but they were all sold out :( Apparently, I'm not the only who knows how great they are. 

These are basically Bobbi Brown's famous and super popular Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in pencil form - which means easier to apply and more portable plus they come with a complimentary sharpener - yay! They're super smooth and pigmented and stay on forever (the website says 12 hours) without smudging or smearing - awesome. I've only tried these out at a makeup counter, but I can already tell it's love... now if only I could get my hands on them. 

What have you been lusting/loving this week?

May MyGlam Bag

As noted in my May Birchbox post, at the end of my April MyGlam Bag post I was debating whether or not to stay subscribed or to cancel MyGlam. I finally made my decision...and canceled. Unfortunately, I did it a little too late and got charged for one last bag - which makes this my last MyGlam post (which includes my first/last MyGlam video at the bottom of the post). I'll continue to check out what others are getting each month and, if it improves, I may come back. However, as of now, it just doesn't compare to Birchbox which costs the same $10 which I'd much rather invest somewhere else.

The theme for this bag was "Love Is In the Air" which I found peculiar because we've already had a Valentine's Day themed bag only a couple months ago. The bag is a turquoise color covered in pink lips. It still feels cheap, but I think it's one of their better bags. Now onto what's inside the bag:

• Philosophy Love Sweet Love Spray Fragrance - Perfume samples are one of the biggest complaints when it comes to beauty boxes. I don't think it's a good idea for MyGlam to start doing this... I do like the philosophy brand though and this was a really nice, fruity fragrance.
• Studio Gear Complete Lipstick in Redwood - I've read quite a few MyGlam blog posts and have yet to see anyone with this color. I'm actually quite happy with it and like it more than any other color I've seen others receive. It's a decent lipstick with a nice burgundy red color - although I wouldn't say that it plumped or moisturized my lips all that much (my lips are just huge to begin with). Still, it's probably my favorite item I've received from MyGlam and retailing at $15, it more than covers the cost of the bag which is always a win.
• Miss Beauty Nail Bling - Haven't tried these out yet. They're a bit too "blingy" for my tastes but perhaps could look cute as accent nails. The pack comes with 20 pieces so you can do a full manicure set twice which is nice. The package also claims no drying time and that it can last up to 10 days.
• MyGlam Exclusive Concealer Brush and Defining Eyeliner Brush - The MyGlam brushes always seemed like a cop out to me instead of including another actual product so I'm glad these are the last in the set. The brushes themselves I have no problem with. They are quite soft and I've actually used them a couple times while doing my makeup. I have a feeling they're going to start up some other "exclusive" myglam collection of something else now though...

Overall, this wash't a horrible bag. Like the April bag, it shows improvement and is actually pretty well-rounded. However, it doesn't make me regret my decision to cancel. Sure, it's always exciting to get something in the mail (especially beauty products), but MyGlam just doesn't excite me to try their products the same way Birchbox does which was what led me to finally cancel.

Are you subscribed to MyGlam? What did you think of this bag? Did you get a different color lipstick?

Instagram Diaries #6: Spring 2012, Part 2

Part Two of my look at this past semester via Instagram. Follow me! My username is geekyfashionista <3

1. Bubble Bread from my favorite Tallahassee restaurant, Bella Bella. It is seriously AH-MAZING.
2. Part of my ever-growing Revlon Lip Butter collection. I'm obsessed!
3. Market Wednesday with my fellow beauty addict, Big, and best friend. I love this girl <3
4. My one St. Patrick's Day drink - strawberry daiquiri at the beach during my sisterhood retreat.
5. Midnight Hunger Games showing! My roommate and I rocked matching Mockingjay pins and side braids.
6. I was super psyched to buy my NARS Laguna bronzer after lusting after it for so long! And yes, that is my signed (!!) Ian Somerhalder poster in the mirror.
7. I use to be SO addicted to Angry Birds. This is a little gift a friend of mine made for me - I can't get over how awesome it is.

Hope you guys didn't mind my little stroll down (recent) memory lane!

Mini Haul: Walmart

Hey guys! I thought I would share with you a couple things I picked up during a quick stop at Walmart not too long ago. Accompanying video at the bottom of the post (:

Eyes
Maybelline "the falsies" Volum' Express Flared Mascara - I had been using the same CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara for wayy too long and definitely needed something new. I had read good things about this, and I've been really pleased with the results. It definitely gives you big, intense looking lashes.
L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara - In my video, I had yet to open and try this mascara out but having done so now, I have to say I am blown away and I can understand why some people love it so much. The lengthening is incredible and it doesn't clump at all! I was a little reluctant at first to buy it because the packaging was a little plain (and I'm such a sucker for pretty packaging), but I'm sure glad I did!
L'Oreal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black - My Maybelline Line Stiletto liquid eye liner is running out so I picked this up. Still haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I wish I would've gotten the felt tip version instead of the brush tip. 
CoverGirl Eye Shadow in Champagne - This makes the perfect highlighter on my eyes, bridge of my nose, and cheekbones! I love it!
Rimmel Soft Kohl Eye Liner Pencil in Sable Brown and Black - Just wanted a couple of inexpensive eye liner pencils to carry around with me. I know some people swear by these, but they were just okay for me. I found they smudged on me after a couple hours and they didn't last very long >_< 
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk and Audacious Asphalt - LOVE my Color Tattoos. They make such a great base! Chose these two because I know I didn't already have them and I have some makeup looks I wanted to try using them.

Lips
Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in 01 - Since I've been missing my Noir Julie Hewett lipstick for quite a while now, I've been in need of a new red lipstick. I pretty much covered both my hands in red lipstick swatches before deciding on this one which is a really nice pigmented cherry red color. Plus, I love the packaging.
Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart - It's no secret that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Revlon Lip Butters and I didn't hesitate to add this super-pigmented hot pink shade to my collection. What a great color for summer!
EOS Lip Balm in Summer Fruit - So glad I finally got one of these! I love the little sphere shape and how it lets you get both lips at once.


NailsRevlon Radiant Nail Polish - Was looking for a sparkly blue polish, and I thought I'd give this a try. Not exactly what I was looking for, but it is pretty (although a huge pain to take off).
Equate Nail Polish Remover - Nothing special, just bought this because I'm almost out of my last bottle and it was only a dollar. Score.
Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover - I'm in a constant battle with my cuticles, always having to push them back. Hopefully this will help me out a little! 

Other
Dial Hello Kitty Body Wash - I really don't need anymore body washes, but I couldn't resist! I'm a Hello Kitty fan, and it smells soooo good.

New Layout!!

Hey guys!! What do you think of the new layout? I spent a good couple of hours working on it, and I have to say I'm really liking it! I originally had a completely different color scheme, but I'm glad I decided on the pink/blue/yellow combination (it was actually inspired by the new Sigma brushes I just ordered - the Mrs. Bunny kit ^^) Anyway, I have to head out for work now, but I'll be putting up another post with video(!!) when I come home! Until then, hope you all have a lovely rest of the day! <3

Question Wednesday: Pets Edition

Doing my first Question Wednesday from Nykki at My Mane Blog. Her blog is super cute so be sure to check it out! This week's questions are all about the furry little critters in our lives - our pets!

1. How many pets do you have && what are their names?
I have 2 cats with me in college and another 6 back home (my family are definitely cat people). The two with me are Xander and London, and the others are Serina aka Spawn (my first kitty), Princess, Momma Cat, Clooney, Felicia, Kitty, and Johnny.

2. Why do you have pets?
My cats can oftentimes drive me crazy, but I can't imagine my life without them. They bring me so much comfort and affection and are always there with me through all my ups and downs.

3. What is your dream pet? {Breed, Kind, etc.}
I would love a rag doll kitty! They are just so fluffy and adorable! (:

4. If you could domesticate any wild animal and have it for a pet, which would it be?
Easy! I've ALWAYS wanted a white tiger! I don't think there's a more elegant and beautiful creature. Second place, would be a panda ^^

5. Let's solve the biggest pet debate: Cats or Dogs? 
I think you all know how I'm going to answer. Dogs are great, but I am cat person through and through. I've loved cats for as long as I could remember, and I know that no matter what I do or wherever I go in the future, there's going to be a cat with me >^_^<

My cats starting with the top left and going clockwise: Xander, Serina, London, Momma Cat, Johnny

Bottom picture: Clooney and Felicia (awwww)

I couldn't find a picture of Princess, but just imagine a really, really, really, really fat white cat lol.

Hope you all have a lovely Wednesday!

May "Gossip Girl" Special Edition Birchbox

Gasp! Am I really posting a beauty box review the next day after receiving it instead of the next month?? Yes, it's true! It's amazing what you can accomplish when your schedule opens up during the summer and you get 3 consecutive days off from work ^^ Oh, and I have a little surprise at the end of this post...

But before we get to that, let's talk about this month's Birchbox. I was especially excited this month because Birchbox teamed up with Gossip Girl for a special edition GG-themed boxed. Although I would consider myself a casual GG viewer (Hart of Dixie rules my Monday nights), I was still super excited to see what items lay in store for me since I still consider the show one of the most fashionable on television.

The packaging and presentation for this month's box was a little different from the norm with a few little GG touches. Instead of pink, the outer packaging box was a cool black with pink text. Around the actual Birchbox was a little slip cover that features the New York at night and both the Birchbox and Gossip Girl logos.

 

Inside, my note from the Birchbox team described my box collection theme as "Downtown Book Party." Interesting. My box consisted of:

• Twistband Hair Tie - I LOVE these! My big gave me one in a gift bundle and it's my go-to hair tie. They're really soft and stretchy and keep your hair secure without snagging or leaving a crease in your hair. Plus, when you're not wearing them, they look cute on your wrist and you don't have to worry about them digging into your skin and leaving a mark. 
• Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF25+ - Yes! I have been looking to invest in a BB cream for quite a while now so I was really happy to see this in my box. I wasn't so thrilled with the tiny size and the fact that it's only half full, however.
• BLVGARI Omnia Crystalline Eau de Toilette Spray - I think I've gotten a perfume sample in every one of my Birchboxes. I know a lot of people don't like this and it does seem a little repetitive, but I don't mind too much because I don't have any fancy expensive perfume so I pretty much live off these samples. This is a nice scent (the card describes it as "lotus flowers, bamboo, and Nashi pears") but nothing really that special.
• stila sparkle waterproof liquid eye liner - Ahhh, probably my favorite of the bunch!! And it's a full-sized product too! Awesome! This is a great liquid liner with a really nice precise tip. The color is really unique too - I would describe it as an olive-gold.
• Ojon volume advance Volumizing Conditioner - Ehh, I have pretty thick hair so I tend to stay away from volumizing hair products. It does have a lovely scent though that reminds me of Aveda products.
• Extra: XOXO Notecard and Envelope - Cute, but a little lacking, especially after some of the great extras I've had in previous boxes.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with this month's Birchbox. It's not my favorite, but there are certainly some stand out products. I think I just expected a little more because of the Gossip Girl theme.

 

 

And a little update on MyGlam, I finally unsubscribed and I feel totally fine with that decision! Especially because Glossy Box just arrived to the US! :D

Now, for my little surprise I mentioned at the beginning of the post...I FINALLY posted my first video on YouTube!! Yay!! Starting a YouTube channel is something I'be been wanting to do for a LONG time so I'm so excited to start posting videos! I already have some tutorials and recent hauls recorded that just need to be edited and uploaded (which takes forever) and TONS of ideas (I've really been planning this a long time) so hopefully I can churn out consistent videos - if my job allows. I'm more used to being behind a camera so it took a little adjusting to and I realize I still need a lot of improvement speaking to a camera - I can't believe how many times I said 'um' lol but I hope in time I'll improve. Anyway, I hope you'll give my channel a look - even if there's only one video uploaded right now - and maybe even subscribe ^^

My YouTube Channel - GeekyFashionista

2012 MET Gala: Worst Dressed

The MET Gala showcases fashion's best...and it's worst. I showed you guys my favorite looks of the night in my previous post. Now, time for my least favorites...there were quite a few, every time I thought I had finished my list, I found a few more haha.

 Chloe Sevigny (Mui Mui) & Elizabeth Banks (Mary Katrantzou)

These dresses were a bit too over-the-top and costume-y for me. Chloe resembles a disco ball with a dress that looks like it's entirely made up of vinyl records, and Elizabeth looks like she borrowed something from her Hunger Games character Effie Trinket's closet.

 Leighton Meester (Marchesa) & Jessica Chastain (Louis Vuitton)

Both of these gowns just aren't flattering on their wearers. The color of Leighton's gown makes her look washed out, especially with that fake orange tan. As for Jessica, I've never been a fan of tiered gowns and, unfortunately, this one also looks cheap. Should've gone for a material that doesn't look wrinkled in photographs and a bolder color.

 Sarah Jessica Parker (Valentino) & Lily Collins (Valentino)

These Valentinos look like someone's grandmother's nightgowns (or curtains...) on the red carpet - albeit some really beautiful nightgowns...but nightgowns, nonetheless.

 Christina Ricci - Thakoon

This dress is totally swallowing Christina's petite body. The bow alone is as big as her body!

 Mary-Kate Olsen  (her own label, The Row) & Rosie Huntington-Whitely (Burberry)

Complete with unflattering hair and makeup, Mary-Kate just looks like a hot mess. Rosie, on the other hand, just looks boring. 

 Kirsten Dunst (Rodarte) & Eva Mendes (Prada)

Color of the year Tangerine was all over the red carpet, but these two looks failed in my book. Kirsten looks like she's heading to the office, and Eva's gown not only has large, tacky embellishments on her bustier, it also makes her look boxy.

 Kristen Stewart (Balenciaga) & Shailene Woodley (Christopher Kane)

These two young starlets failed to impress. Kristen looked just as awkward as her odd color-blocked dress. Shailene's busy gown does nothing for her figure.

Lena Dunham (Wes Gordon) & Greta Gerwig (Prabal Gurung)

These ladies were green nightmares in their cheap-looking, ill-fitting and unflattering gowns. 

Florence Welch (Alexander McQueen) & Anja Rubik (Anthony Vaccarello )

What were they thinking?? Florence's dress (by my beloved McQueen) looks like a dust bunny that got mixed with some shredded paper, but, boy, does she rock it. That girl's got some confidence (Kristen, take note)! Anja, no stranger to my worst dressed list, shows once again she has no problem showing some skin on the red carpet as seen by her cutouts and hip-cleavage baring high slit.

What did you guys think? What were your biggest misses of the night?

2012 MET Gala: Best Dressed

Next to the Academy Awards, the MET Gala, this year honoring Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada, is probably my most looked forward to fashion event. Stars and designers really step up their game, and the result is a fashion lover's dream. I was impressed with so many of this year's looks! So many stars, so many amazing gowns!! But along with so many hits, there were some monumental misses (Worst Dressed post coming soon - haven't done one of those in a while!). Because it was so difficult for me to rank the looks, instead of my usual Top 10, here are my 15 favorite looks in no particular order (except for the first two).

Ashley Greene - Donna Karan Atelier

My favorite look of the night! She looks head-to-toe flawless.

Nina Dobrev - Donna Karan Atelier

Nina kills it (as usual) at her first MET Gala appearance.

Scarlett Johansson - Dolce & Gabbana

I like it, but probably would have looked even better with soft pink lips.

Gisele Bundchen (with Tom Brady) - Givenchy

I feel like I've definitely seen this dress before, but it's gorgeous and she rocks it either way.

Amy Adams - Giambattista Valli Haute Couture

Classic and simple, she looks so lovely and elegant.

Marion Cotillard - Christian Dior

Not sure what's going on with her hair, but I love the gradient effect of the gown.

Emily Blunt (with John Krasinski) - Calvin Klein

I love the color and the back looks amazing!

Emma Roberts - Escada

Another great bold color, I love that she paired it with the thin royal blue belt.

Dianna Agron - Caroline Herrara

I love how soft and feminine this look is - and again, amazing color! 

Jessica Alba - Michael Kors

Love the Old Hollywood 1940s look with retro curls and ruby red lips.

January Jones - Versace

I can't help but think Silk Spectre from Watchmen, but she does look great.

Katharine McPhee - Elie Saab

She looks phenomenal in this so-on-trend tangerine color.

Hilary Swank - Michael Kors

Love the rushing and color (there seems to be a trend here), although I probably would have styled it a little differently.

Lea Michele - Diane von Furstenburg

Still think she's trying too hard, but I love the color on her and the fit is great.

Rashida Jones - Tory Burch

The dress is pretty and all, but this is probably more on my list because I love Rashida so much <3

What look was your favorite?