Summer Destination: Bahamas Bound

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If you missed the first segment in my Summer Destination Series, you can find it here. What I am doing is taking your, my readers', summer destination spots and creating outfits inspired by them. Sharon over at The Tiny Heart is going to the Bahamas for her vacation soon (I know, don't be jealous), so I created several looks for her that I think would be perfect for a Bahamas vacation.

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If you are interested in having a few looks put together that are inspired by your vacation (or dream vacation), email me! I'd love to hear from you.

Bright Light

Francesca's top, United Colors of Benetton pants, Anne Klein heels,
Charming Charlie jewelry

What happens when you forget your sunglasses? You find yourself looking down to avoid squinting at the sun. Or closing your eyes and then telling your husband that as soon as you open your eyes to take the picture quickly. Have you ever done that? I was lucky to get a couple of good shots that way! 

Have a great day!

Summer Destination

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My good friend Katie over at The Catholic Wife was the first to respond when I came up with the idea of creating outfit sets inspired by the summer vacation plans of my readers. Her family lives in Nebraska so she will soon be making the long drive from Louisiana with her husband and two little boys. (Our toddlers are buddies and our almost 8 month old boys are sure to be friends as well.)

I created two looks that would be appropriate for hanging out with friends and family. Wearing sandals is a must in the summer. Especially when you plan to be outdoors chasing your little boy around. (Of course, she could just make her husband do the chasing while she sits and relaxes....right Katie?)

I created the second look for a lunch date with friends. Wearing jeans shouldn't be too hot, as long as the lunch date happens indoors. Bright colors in the top, jeans, belt, and shoes guarantee that this lunch date look is a stylish one.

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Of course, no trip would be complete without at least one date night. I know my girl loves navy and yellow so I couldn't resist putting together a look with those colors.

It was fun coming up with outfit ideas for my friend. If you are interested in having me put together an outfit inspired by your upcoming summer vacation destination, hurry and email me!

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Same Shoes, Different Outfit

F21 blazer, romper, and necklace; Carlos Santana heels, Target glasses, gifted ring,
Essie's 'Status Symbol' polish

I think this pair of shoes might be my new favorite...or should I say old favorite? (I have had them for several years.) I originally bought them to wear to my mom's wedding (she married her high school sweetheart a few years ago), but have found that they go with several outfits. I just love when something has versatility.

This romper and blazer would be rather boring if it weren't for the statement necklace and shoes. Accessories are a great way to bring a look from basic to stylish and chic.

I probably shouldn't wear shorts or skirts that show the ginormous bruises on my knees. We have had several rehearsals in the past week for our performance coming up (I'm dancing...pray for me), and I have bruises from the dance. I'm sure I'm the only one because the girls that I teach are not as spastic as I am. 

Have a great day y'all! Don't forget to like my facebook page!

Botanics

Do you guys have a favorite eye make-up remover? I have never been 'married' to just one. I've tried several products over the years. The last remover I used was Almay's Oil Free Eye Make-Up Remover. While it did the job somewhat, I never really realized how much of my eye make-up still remained after I washed my face at night. I noticed that some of my concealer still remained in the fine lines under my eyes. A hint of eyeliner still remained around the rims of my eyes. I never really thought much of it until I tried this remover from Botanics.

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I picked it up on one of my many Target runs not too long ago. I am always up for trying new beauty products. I had never heard of the brand before so I thought I would live on the wild side and give it a shot. Let me just tell you, I LOVE it! 

I squeeze a tiny amount of product onto my finger and gently massage my eye. Then I take a tissue and gently wipe away the product along with some of my make-up. (Doing this alone does not get rid of all the make-up.)  After I have done both eyes, I wash my face like normal, making sure that I wash the eye area as well. I was very surprised after my first use of this product that NO make-up remained. Using this product along with my normal face wash got every single drop of make-up off of my face.

The only negative aspect would be that it burned when it got into my eyes. Of course, the back of the label says to 'avoid direct contact with eyes.' So basically, keep your eyes shut until you have washed it away and you should have no problem.

If you are looking for a new eye make-up remover, I definitely recommend this one. You can pick it up at Target for only $7.

Get the Look

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I have always liked Olivia Palermo's style. Her outfits exude style and class. For someone so young, she has definitely stood out as someone to pay attention to for her style.

Now, I am not a slave to celebrity news. I do not care about their relationships or whatever else they do. I can, however, appreciate someone with good taste. Olivia has great taste and therefore is worth watching.

I love this look. It is so easy and relaxed with the skinny jeans and flats but the lace t-shirt dresses it up. The straw tote is also a great bag for summer.

What do you guys think? Do you like her look? What do you think about celebrities? Do you follow them closely or just admire someone's style? I'd love to know!

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If you follow me on facebook, then you might have seen an update pop up in your news feed. I have decided to devote an entire post to you, my awesome readers. Do you have any summer trips planned? Send me an email (amyshaughnessy@yahoo.com) with your destination and I will come up with an outfit set inspired by that place. I will feature it as a post on the blog. (If you aren't going anywhere this summer, then just pick your dream vacation spot and I will still create a look inspired by that place.) If you are a blogger, then I will include a link to your blog so people can check out your blog! 

Trends: Two in One

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One of my favorite things right now is combining trends. There are so many pieces out there that combine some of the hottest trends. I've picked just a few to show you. (There are so many more!)

The items pictured above would be very easy to wear if simple styling was used. I am loving the peplum dress with the neon trim. What a great way to be on-trend without having to put forth much effort. 

These two-in-one pieces are great for those of you who have a hard time mixing trends. Maybe you aren't sure what goes with what. (Let's face it...we all have that moment where we put something on and wonder if it works.) In this case, the work has been done for you! 

Black and Gold

Francesca's tunic, Old Navy cardigan, TJ Maxx leggings, Guess heels,
Michael Kors belt, Charming Charlie earrings

This outfit is normally one that I reserve for winter. (Yes, I wear sandals in winter. It is Louisiana so really it isn't that bad.) It hasn't gotten too hot here yet, so I decided to give this outfit one more run before I retired it for the season. I'm so glad I wore this! We went to Mass on Sunday and sat right next to an air conditioning vent that blew on us the entire time. So instead of freezing in a summer outfit, I was *almost* comfortable.

Have a great day! Don't forget to like my Facebook page!

Here Comes the Sun

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Strike a Pose

Topshop shirt, F21 shorts, Carlos Santana heels, Charming Charlie earrings & cuff,
Target sunglasses, Essie's 'Orange! It's Obvious,' and 'Status Symbol' polish

I had my outfit planned before we went out this weekend. Naturally, I changed it at the last minute. I think that is how some of my favorite outfits come together. I was actually planning on wearing a blazer (which I will still do at some point) but grabbed this top instead. I was so excited when I realized that these heels went perfectly with the shorts too.

Have a great week!

Saturday Steals

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1. Aviators - $15

2. Mint earrings - $16

3. Leona earrings - $16

4. Cuff - $5

5. Striped flats - $15 

6. Sandal - $16

7. Ally earrings - $14 

Have a great weekend!

One Item, Two Looks

Y'all have probably realized by now that I like to take a single item and create multiple looks around it. This time I picked a pair of mint shorts and created two looks. Since I am not quite tired of the pastel trend yet, I went in that direction for both looks. 

The first look is casual but still slightly dressier than its counterpart. The lace collar and high heel give this would-be casual look a bit of elegance. Since color blocking is not limited to bright or primary colors, I decided to use a pink clutch in the first look.

The second look is a bit more casual and has an 'edgy' vibe to it. The spike earrings and studded clutch give this look a slightly harder feel. (Which I think looks cool against a soft color palette.) Even the shoes have embellishment around the ankle straps to give this look more texture.

Of course I would wear both of these looks. Which is your favorite?

                                                    * Product Review *

I love to change my beauty products every now and then. For the longest time I was using an eyeshadow primer by Mary Kay. It was fine but when I ran out, I went to Ulta to find something else. As you know, there are tons of primers out there but I picked up  Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

Unlike my last primer, this primer is actually flesh colored. I squeeze out a tiny amount (a little bit goes a long way) and dab over my entire lid. I like to wait a minute or two to let it dry before I apply my shadow.

I really love this primer. I've noticed that when I use it, my shadow seems to look vibrant and it really pops. Using this primer also helps to keep my shadow in place all day. The other day I put my make-up on around 6:30 in the morning, worked out (yes, I wear make-up to work out), and by 8:00 that night it was still vibrant looking.

I wish I could tell you how long I have had it. I want to say that I have had it for at least a year. (It could actually be longer but I'm just not sure.) Let's just say that it lasts a long time and I think it is completely worth your money.

Swimsuit Guide

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Swimsuit season is just around the corner! Here is a guide to help you find the swimsuit that is perfect for your body.

For you women out there with small, boyish frames, look for swimsuits that will enhance or create curves. For small busts, look for tops that have detailing (ruched tops, ruffles.) These features will help to enhance a small bust. Also, look for bottoms with ruffles around the hips. This will create the illusion of hips on a narrow frame.

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For those of you who don't want to wear a bikini, try a slimming one piece. (I just feel weird in a bikini after having two kids.) All three of the swimsuits pictured above are visually slimming. If you aren't ready for a one piece but don't want to leave the two piece days behind, then try a suit with cut outs on the sides. The front offers coverage and visually nips in your waist with the design.

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Women with large busts may feel that they can't wear a bikini. Not so! Just make sure you pick a top that offers plenty of support and coverage. All three of these tops offer great coverage and are adorable to boot.

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The two swimsuits above are for two different body types (both with large busts). The first option shows a smaller bottom. If you have curvy hips, wearing big bottoms to try and 'hide' your hips may do the opposite. Since your bust is large, wear a smaller bottom so that the proportions will be balanced. The eye will not stop on your hips but will see the whole ensemble.

The same goes for the second look. If you are large on the top and tiny on the bottom, even it out by wearing a slightly larger bottom. You will look more balanced this way.

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And just for fun....some color blocked swimsuits!

I hope you guys liked my swimsuit guide. Don't forget to like my facebook page. Have a fabulous day!

Chilling Out, Maxing...

F21 dress, unknown tshirt, sandals, and necklace, Charming Charlie cuff, Tobi glasses
 

Oh Forever 21, how I love thee...I don't know if I should be shopping at a store called 'Forever 21' when I am in my thirties but they have some awesome stuff! In the midst of tween attire and 'club' wear are many pieces that are cute and age appropriate. Not only are the prices super reasonable, the items are well made too. I have shopped at other retailers (I shall leave them unnamed) and walked out because the pieces were too expensive and made cheaply. (I'm talking seams in shirts that were so uneven, the person had to have been either drunk or cross eyed when they made it.)

If you can guess where this post title came from, then good for you! You are officially cool. Have a great day!

Travel With Style

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Have you made any summer vacation plans? If so, then this is the post for you! I picked out a few tote bags that would be cute for your airplane carry-on. I like the idea of a tote bag for my carry-on because I am able to stand my magazines and books up in it and they won't bend or fall over. You can just easily slide the bag under the seat in front of you once you get on the plane.

Later your bag can easily be used as a beach bag or even a gym bag. I love an item that can serve multiple purposes.

A Few Travel Must-Haves

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Here are a few of my travel tips:

1. Pack all of your clothing in a squishy bag (like this) and carry it on. (If I pack in a squishy bag then I am able to put it and my small personal item under the seat in front of me. I hate fighting for room in the overhead compartment.) I pack all of my clothing (not including my shoes) and carry it on with me every time. I would rather get to my destination and risk losing my checked toiletries than my checked clothing bag. You can always buy more make-up and skin care. Can you really replace that awesome pair of jeans?

2.  Do anything you can to maximize your packing space. (See picture above.) I pack a fold-up tooth brush and I save a tiny bit of room for something else equally as important.

3. Leave the nail polish at home. Pack some funky stick on nail art instead. You won't have to worry about your polish bottles leaking or breaking in your bag.

4. Check out your local retailers for travel size items. The Target in my town has a whole section devoted to travel size items. I usually stock up on mini shave gels, stain sticks, hair spray, etc., before I go on a trip.

5. Wear your biggest pair of shoes and pack the rest. I always wear the clunkiest pair of shoes possible so that I can save room in my bags for more shoes.

6. Get a color passport cover. Although this is not necessary at all, it is nice to have a passport cover in a vibrant shade that you can quickly spot in your purse. 

I hope you guys have a fantastic day!