The Royal Treatment

Happy Saturday everyone!

It's been quite awhile since I last updated, but life has been busy and I've had quite a bit of homework to focus on. I started this online class for Trends and Concepts, and so far it's been a blast. Just found out I got 125/125 on an assignment that I worked really hard on. The instructor even said I went 'above and beyond' what she was looking for, and that definitely made my week.

I figured why not share a post about giving yourself the royal treatment? Especially after you are given such good feedback and you worked for hard for it. This plays well into another trend post for Fall 2013, as ornate embellished ensembles were paired with gemmed crowns and stunner heels, down the runway. I don't know about you, but the Dolce and Gabbana collection for Fall 2013 was one of my favorites of the season. I would die to wear one of the crowns the models wore!

Ugh, can I just wear all of it?! Please?! Below are some more accessible products that you buy to bring in the royal treatment to your wardrobe, and your house!

1. Royal Affair Embroidered Peplum Top | 2. Alexander McQueen Red Leather Skull Box | 3. Baubella by Sophia Chloe Crown Necklace | 4. Go For the Rose Gold Flat | 5. Madame Hook Pillow | 6. Notte by Marchesa Embroidered Dress

 

How would you rock your own royal treatment?! I want to know!

Always,

Mostly Lisa

These Boots Were Made to Ride

Hi readers! Hope your Friday is going well. I can't believe it's already a week gone and done. And wait, we're almost done with August?! When did that happen?! I am quite looking forward to the end of this month, my new nephew will be born and I will be an Auntie for a second time! Then I will be one step closer to my last quarter EVER, and will be an official college graduate. I am kind-of alright with time speeding up. Yet another reason I am excited for the month to end, is because then it means Fall is going to be here and we are going to be bombarded with fall fashion and all its glory!

That glory will be happily transmitted into one of my favorite trends, the combat boot! Or the motorcycle boot if you want to be more 'edgy' about it, which is super easy when you are rocking this trend. These boots of the season were seen down the runway with fun embellishments, and soaring heights. Models were seen wearing toughing it out in these boots and pairing them with a pair of denim and leather jackets. The distinctive look of motorcycle boots will give you an edge, make you feel empowered, and best of all they are super comfortable! Low heels give more room for tough hardware. Take these boots for a spin this upcoming season!

Check out some of my favorite pair of boots, and let me know what you think!

1. Dolce Vita | 2. Steve Madden | 3. Charlotte Russe | 4. JCPenny | 5. Olsenboye | 6. Payless

(Image Credit: ModelsOffDuty, Carolines Mode, WhoWhatWear, WhereDidUGetThat)


Always,

Mostly Lisa

YUM: National S'Mores Day

Happy Monday, again! Hope you had a great weekend, did any of you do anything fun?

I am honored, yet again, to have another fun illustration by A Thing Created for my post today! Now, I am a little late on this but I figured I would go ahead and do it anyways. It's still summer, and there is really no better time for an excuse to have a bonfire. The 10th was National S'Mores Day, and I figured I'd celebrate! I don't think there is anything better than melted chocolate with a fluffy marshmallow on top! The best thing is, YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF! You may be asking 'what are the essentials for a bonfire?' Well, I will tell you!

Obviously you will need (1.) marshmallows, (2.) graham crackers, and (3.) chocolate. For the marshmallows, I love the giant ones that make a mess. Hershey's is obviously the chocolate I use every time. The graham crackers switch up all the time, but the chocolate ones are currently my favorite. Then you will need something to keep you warm, so a (6.) comfy sweater is a must. You will need something to sit on, so a (4.) comfy pillow and a (5.) large throw blanket is perfect for this type of get together. Hope you follow these and are able to venture out to a fun bonfire filled with great s'mores and friends!

Always,

Mostly Lisa

An Outfit of the Day with Emma Elise

Hey there, lovely readers! My name is Emma Elise, and I've been asked to write a guest post for you today!

Let me start with a fun fact about myself - I am in love with Victoria's Secret PINK. Maybe it's because their clothes fit me perfectly, while still being super-duper-comfy. Or maybe it's because they have the cutest designs, colors, and patterns, with just enough bling! Or (more likely) it's a combination of the above, added with the fact that I've pretty much become a master coupon-er for Victoria's Secret. But anyways, here is one of my recent outfits that I really loved wearing! I hope you enjoy it as well!

 

 

My top is the PINK Boyfriend Tee in Neon Coral (similar here). I love these tops because they are loose and comfy, but come in a great variety of colors. My favorites are this one, the white one, and the bright purple! These tops aren't listed online anymore, but you can still find them in stores (especially if you're lucky enough to have a VS PINK specialty store).

 

My bottoms are the PINK Signature Crop sweatpants (similar here). These are really comfy, and hit mid-calf with a banded bottom.

 

For jewelry, I have on a handmade beaded necklace (similar here) and a dark blue, beaded, "karma" bracelet (similar here).

 

My hair was straightened using my Chi straightener. And then for makeup, I used my favorite Victoria's Secret face powder. I did a light smoky eye (shadow, liner, & mascara). And I topped it off with a simple light-pink lip gloss (in #44 - Precious Pink).

I hope you all like my laid-back look. Please check out my blog, itsemmaelise, and tweet me @itsemmaelise. Thanks for reading!

Emma

Sparkle and Shine Under $100

Happy Monday y'all!

Hope your weekend was great. I had to work both Saturday and Sunday, but it was good because I found out that I am going to be Employee of the Month for August! It makes me feel great to know I am doing something right there and that hard work does pay off.

I'm SO EXCITED right now because I can finally let you know about this collaboration I have been working on with Erisha A. of A Thing Created! She is SO absolutely talented and she does these amazing illustrations, which I only wish I could have the hand for. For our first collab, we decided on doing an all things 'sparkle and shine' with an added bonus of the items being under $100! I can always go with a deal and there are so many great jewelry sites out there that are inexpensive and offer gorgeous products. With a little inspiration from BaubleBar, my idea for this post, and her fantastic mind she came up with this fabulous lady. Aaaamazing! I feel so honored that she approached me about this, and I can't wait to see what else we can work on together. Make sure to go check out her site, and let me know what you think about this collaboration! In the meantime, check out this inspiration board that says you can never have too much bling in your life.

 

 

 1. Neon Alqua Bib - $36 | 2. H&M Top With Rivets - $23 | 3. Crystal Bauble Bouquet Earrings - $44 | 4. Skinny Sparkle Belt - $28 | 5. Jeweled Sweater Tee - $98 | 6. Elegant Jewel Loafer - $90 | 7. Emerald Phoenix Drops - $28 | 8. Jewel Necklace - $50

(Photo credit: Northern Style Exposure | Tommy Ton )

Always,

Mostly Lisa

Style Icon - Kate Mara

 

 

Hi gals!
 Hope your weekend is going well! I am busy working this entire weekend, but I wanted to share with you a style icon of mine right now. Kate Mara, who I first saw in Brokeback Mountain, but can now be seen in the Netflix T.V. series House of Cards, has quickly transformed into a great style inspiration of mine. She has a great laid back style, but is still super feminine in her outfit choices. One of my all time favorite outfits she's worn is this STUNNING Elie Saab dress to the Academy Awards last year. Her whole ensemble is like something out of a classic black and white movie, and the hair just tops it off. Another favorite of mine is this silver Dolce & Gabbana dress paired with black accessories. I would wear this in a heartbeat!

 

 

Her last name might sound a little familiar, Rooney Mara is in fact her little sister. I wish I could be apart of that talented gene pool. Both of carved their own niche in the acting world and are both extremely good at what they do. Kate's style is just as talented, being seen in Mulberry, Tracy Reese, Prada, Jason Wu, Peter Som, and several others! Having just been featured in a gorgeous spread last month in Elle mag, she is sure to be on anyone's Top 10 Best Dressed List! Below is an outfit inspired by Kate, all items are individually under $100, and this is how I would style her myself!

 (Photo Credit: 1. | 2)

1. Zara Cropped Trousers | 2. Fossil Leather Watch | 3. Adrien Striped Top | 4. Faux Leather Satchel | 5. De Luca Skull Necklace | 6. Black Blazer | 7. Converse Chuck Taylor

Always,

Mostly Lisa

Designer Spotlight: Emilia Wickstead

(Image credit: Vogue UK, Matches.com, Google Images)

I love finding an up and coming designer who really sticks to their roots. Emilia Wickstead is one of those designers, and she has quickly made a name for herself with her sophisticated and ladylike collections. You might have seen some of her designs on that one lady who just had a baby? Yeah, that's right, she has been graced by The Duchess of Cambridge as being one of her go-to designers to wear while she was pregnant. She is quintessentially a British designer, even though she was born in New Zealand, and I admire that about her. In her Fall 2013 RTW collection, which was her first down a runway, she used motifs of plaid and antique florals. It may sound like it's aimed at an older audience, but there are tons of youthful elements in the silhouettes and lengths. You can easily access her clothing by looking at Net-A-Porter and Matches. Emilia is definitely someone to look out for during the next LFW! I can't wait to see what she comes up with.
Always,

Mostly Lisa