stockings (sold out)
t-shirt
shoes
earrings
bracelet
choker
China Glaze nailpolish “Turned Up Turquoise”
sunglasses (sold out)
Lady Gaga: Fame perfume
eyelash curler
Batman keychain (sold out)
hat
L’Oréal Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner in “black noir”
belt
Zoella lip balm
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Amazing Adventures: Robotanimals #3
Finally! My music game is back! July in general was all about regaining my balance. I got my job on track, my writing on track, everything generally on track. So overall, July was a pretty good month. Of course, we start with a Disney track, and this month is the theme song to my spirit animal, Mad Madam Mim, from Sword in the Stone, probably the most underrated Disney movie of all time. Sidebar: she is also the source of my Instagram bio, “I hate horrible, wholesome sunshine.”
The next seems a bit random, but “Story of My Life” got added because the song made an appearance on the show Boy Band (which is AMAZING AND EVERYTHING) and I realized I love this song, but didn’t actually have it on my iPod. Also, my roommate had never seen the video, so I made her watch it because I think it’s hilarious that she cries at everything. She thought she would make it through the video, but then it got to THAT PART (watch the vid and you’ll know) and she went, “Oh, shit. Oh, SHIT,” as the waterworks started. It’s making me laugh even as I type this, which makes me horrible, I know.
Another random is “Crank It Up” by Ashley Tisdale. I really like Ashley Tisdale, but a lot of her music isn’t my jam. However, July was also the month I started working out again (which is still the most horrible thing ever and I didn’t miss it at all), and this is a really good workout tune.
I did a post about my 4th of July, so I won’t go into it again, but I grabbed an older Lana Del Rey Song and Elvis singing an American classic for the day.
New music of the month was a track by Biotin Babies, Armstrongs, the new All-American Rejects EP, and of course Lana Del Rey’s new album, which is fantastic.
I also finally got around to the used bookstore in town, which also sells records, so I got my hands on David Bowie’s Scary Monsters. I already had “Fashion” and “Ashes to Ashes” in my library, so I spent the month listening to the other tracks and, love.
The last track on the playlist went to the theme music from Teen Wolf because the end of the month brought the premiere of the last ten episodes of the series and I’m both excited and upset by this.
Unfortunately, July also brought the death of the incredibly talented Chester Bennington of Linkin Park. Three years ago, I got to see Linkin Park in concert and I remember walking away thinking what an incredible show they put on and how his voice sounded almost identical to how it does on the albums. I knew I wanted to add a Linkin Park track to this month’s playlist, and was at first going to go with the obvious “Leave Out All The Rest,” with “My December” as a contender. But his death got me thinking about what Linkin Park’s music meant to me. This was the band I would play as a teenager when I was sad or angry because it felt good to hear someone else scream out the things that I was feeling and didn’t know how to put into words because I didn’t really know what was happening to me or how to deal with it. So I grabbed one of the songs that represented that time, “Somewhere I Belong.” As I got older, I learned how to shut up and get rid of some of my demons. Chester’s death was a reminder that it could have (and almost did) end a different way for me. I do sincerely pray that he’s at peace and my heart is still broken over the situation, and especially for his family and friends.
candle – Zoella “Seaside stroll”
Eyeshadow palette – BH Cosmetics – Illuminate by Ashley Tisdale in “Beach Goddess”
magazines – Interview (July 2017), Dazed & Confused (Spring/Summer 2017)
Usually, my 4th of July was spent at home by myself doing pretty much nothing. My friends have always been dispersed around the globe, had plans with other people or their own families. I hadn’t even seen fireworks on the 4th of July since I was a kid. That changed this year and I was American as f*ck. I watched The Patriot in the morning then my roommate, Charissa, and I hung out in the backyard during the day with our neighbor who I just met even though I’ve lived in the house a month (My social skills are A+). They drank, we listened to music and grilled burgers and hot dogs, and then Charissa and I headed walked into town. We listened to an army band then found a spot to watch fireworks while we ate fried dough and root beer floats. We were planning on doing s’mores and sparklers in the fire pit in the backyard, but I think we got lazy somewhere in there and just chilled.
But the whole time, I for sure rocked an American flag top.
Paired with some classic American denim, this shredded American flag graphic tee was from Chicnova (sold out). The holes punctured throughout gives it a little bit more of an edge than just a basic flag tee you could get anywhere and that’s what drew me to it. Shoes were the ever classic Converse black cloth trainers, which I’ve only recently brought back into rotation because the sole was broken for years. (I still need to replace the laces and clean them, but that’s for another day). Because the jeans are a little higher and I was wearing Converse, socks had to be low, so I went with my trusty red and white 1937 dip-dye anklet socks from Madewell.
Along with my other rings, including my infinity ring, I added my Vampire Diaries inspired Elena’s daylight ring, which, if you watched the show, you know if a nice blue color. My earrings were white Fishbone earrings from a Blackheart cat stud earring set which I got from Hot Topic. My necklace added another element of metal edge with its skull on battered wings, which was purchased from Amazon and chosen for this outfit mostly because of its red gem eyes. My leather cuff also came from Amazon, but is sold out. There’s all sorts of different studs and chains on it, but because some of those studs were star-shaped, adding it was a no brainer. And since I was outside for most of the day, sunglasses were needed, I grabbed Ladona classic black aviator style sunglasses because, yes
Onto makeup. Maybelline FIT ME Shine-Free + Balance foundation in “Ivory” was used under my chin to cover up any double chin action I was sporting and my Real Techniques brush was used to blend that out. My dark circles from my shit sleep patterns was covered with my NARS Radiant Creamy concealer in “Creme Brulee.” For my eyes, I used my NYX Love In Paris eyeshadow palette in “Merci Beaucoup,” particularly the redder shades. As always I tried to curl my lashes with my Bobbi Brown eyelash curler, but we all know how that goes for me. I have a lot of amazing scents in my collection, but my go to lately has been Lady Gaga’s “Fame.” I’m not wearing it in the picture, but 4th look isn’t complete without a red lip, so I used my NARS Velvet Matte lipstick pencil in “Mysterious Red,” which my roommate also borrowed to sport with her outfit (which looked awesome. I wish I had taken a pic).
I wasn’t crazy about how my nails came out, so I didn’t take a picture, but I obviously went with red, white, and blue and did get a lot of compliments on them. Chanel Le Top Coat was used and, five days later, they’re just now starting to chip.
Regardless of outfits, I had a fun 4th and I hope everyone else did too. Let me know if you go all out with the red, white, and blue motif or if it’s just not your thing. I wanna see your looks!
Happy birthday, America!
American flag fan from Amazon
I love the idea of corporate goth. The chic black pencil skirts. The romantic blouses that are appropriate for the corporate environment but still completely self expressive. There are lots of blogs that can show you that look better than I can, but I thought I’d take the idea and simplify it, doing this flatlay featuring a piece of wardrobe that almost anyone can wear to work: a white button down.
Every job is different and has a different dress code. My first job outside of baby-sitting was Wal-Mart where, as anyone knows, required that hideous blue vest. However, it meant I could wear whatever top I wanted underneath, so long as it wasn’t offensive . . . until they started making us wear hideous blue collared shirts with khaki pants. After that, I worked in an office that was business casual where this post would have come in handy. Then was Borders, where the only dress code was no jeans with holes in them. Now I work two jobs where it’s back to business casual.
The shirt I have here I got on Amazon from a company called LE3NO. I have never had luck with this style, always finding it too tight in the chest and showing off unsightly rolls. So when I tried this XXL on, I was expecting the worst, but was surprised that it felt comfortable and didn’t show off all the lumps and bumps I wanted covered.
You know your work environment. You know what you can get away with and what you can’t. That being said, turning this plain white shirt into something that represents me is ALL about the accessories. I’m not one of those people that wears sunglasses inside (please never be that person), but there’s always that moment of walking inside, taking off your glasses and hearing some cool soundtrack in your head as you’re about to tackle your day.
Just me? Okay.
Anyway, the glasses are also from Amazon by zeroUV in the color “Black Smoke.” I love zeroUV because they always do free shipping, whether you get it on Amazon or direct from their site and you can get so many cool glasses from them for under $10. Another Amazon item is the black leather cuff by INBLUE. While that stands alone on one wrist, I grouped part of a Blackheart bracelet set from Hot Topic on the other. My necklace is unfortunately sold out, but it was from Nastydress and has been much loved.
Again, you know your work environment. If you’re on your feet all day FIND SOME SENSIBLE SHOES. These are not them. That being said, look. how. awesome. The studs, the metal wrapping around the heel . . . Just try not to strut in them.
Onto makeup. If I can wear no other product, it’s eyeliner. Rushing out the door? Eyeliner. All the time in the world? Eyeliner. That being said, THIS MASCARA. The Better Than Sex by Too Faced mascara has been hyped up by everyone and a few months ago, I finally bought it, both the regular and the waterproof. I hadn’t used it yet because I still had a MAC mascara I was using, but I tested it out before I stuck it in this post and, yes. WORTH IT. I lamented about my guylashes in my last blog post, but not only does this product give them volume and length, but it also looks like I’m already wearing top liner. If you can get a sample, doooo ittttt. I went to Sephora earlier this week and grabbed the Kat Von D Lock-It Setting Powder. I don’t use much makeup when it comes to foundation and powders and things like that, but I like using translucent powders as a base for my eyes because it makes blending easier. For perfume, I really like this scent by Viktor&Rolf called Spicebomb. It’s a pretty masculine scent, and, yes, spicy spelling, but it definitely makes me feel a bit stronger and confident with it on. Black nails are my go-to and definitely have both a bold and chic look to them. But if you’re sort of over the black and white thing everywhere, I like “Pepe’s Purple Passion” from OPI’s Muppets collection. Also, it pairs really nicely with Rimmel’s Kate Matte Lipstick in 107.
Oh, and the magazine is for when you’re chilling on your break. I have issue #150 of Bello featuring my favorite, Chord Overstreet, because, yeah.
All work and no play . . .
The 80’s are making a comeback.
Everywhere I look, a sign of the decade seems to be cropping up. Stranger Things was all anyone could talk about (I still haven’t seen it. Iknowdon’tkillme). My instagram feed is full of makeup artist doing all sorts of creative, bright and colorful things with eyeshadows (and lipsticks!). Stars and beauty gurus are flipping their hair to one side for volume or going straight for the spiral curls (a trend I will NOT be hopping on). Even the the remake of It has been reset in the 80’s (I’m not a horror movie buff, but I have a thing for Bill Skarsgård. Not as a psycho clown, but as anything else and we’re getting sidetracked . . .)
And of course, neon.
Neon nails, neon jewelry, neon eyeshadow, neon lipstick, even neon hair. I was born in 1986, so neon colors were definitely part of my generation’s childhood. I liked any color that had the word “electric” in front of it. Even as a teenager, my dream car was a neon, lime green Volkswagen (one day) and my room was decorated with blacklight posters, a lime green lava lamp, plastic neon hearts and smilies and flowers that stuck to my wall. Black was my favorite, but if I had to do color, it was going to be in-your-face color, nothing ordinary or pastel and washed out.
Yeah. I liked neon.
Recently, I got the new Monster High movie because yes, I really like Monster High. As you can see from the pic, there’s an electric theme going on. But I can see so many cues from the 80’s happening, from the crimped hair to the big ruffles and bows to, yes, the neon.
It’s a trend I’m more than happy to ride on for a little while.
Even if you’re not ready to go full on with an hot pink sweater or canary yellow skinny jeans, you can always sneak it in with a little accessory. Although I say sneak, but, no matter water, neon wants to be noticed.
But that’s sort of the point.
Choker – Monsoon (sold out)
Nail polish – China Glaze in “Turned Up Turqoise”
Glasses – zeroUV in Green
The Cailin 