back to reality

Wow. It has been almost a month since I posted, and I can't blame that entirely on the holidays. Yes, they were extremely disruptive, and I had to play catch up in both my classes and my jobs, but still. I will get back to posting at least weekly, if not more!

Meanwhile, this weather has been crazy- one day it is snowing in October, the next it is 60 degrees in November! Getting dressed in the morning is tricky, because I never really know what the weather will be like. This has just renewed my love affair with layering. Not only can you bring summer clothes into the winter with cardigans and tights, you can also peel off layers when it warms up. There is a trick to it though; if you aren't careful, you can just look dumb wearing a summer dress and sweater in December. Try to stay with thinner layers, and stick with similar fabrics. Some exceptions are leather jackets with flowy, girly dresses, and heavy cocoon vests with tanks and jeans.

Try it out and let me know how you mix layers and weather!

flying by

Every year, the High Holidays are the end of September/beginning of October. And it's always nuts with school, work, and trying to play catch up when I have to take off because of my religion. Plus, the holidays have been going from Wednesday night straight through until Saturday night, which is a long time to be cut off from my computer, cell phone, and tv.

But I really do love it- I get to relax with my family, and actually spend time with them, with no distractions. One thing I am not a fan of is sitting in services for hours! But I started passing the time by cataloging and breaking down everyone's outfits (besides for when I'm praying of course!) The pieces people think are okay to wear to services ASTONISH me.... talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly!

This fall, luckily, a lot of designers have come out with appropriate outfits. You should never show too much skin in a house of worship, and I try to follow the either/or rule: I can either show a little cleavage or wear something really tight- never both in one outfit. It keeps my clothing congruous with the environment without being stuffy.

Both New York and Co and Express have really impressed me this season with their wide array of viable options. They have gorgeous separates that work for services, interviews, work, and even dates! (If I ever have one again :/)

(early) friday favorites

So tonight is the start of Rosh Hashana (the Jewish new year) and since it goes until Saturday night, I wont be able to post on Friday, so I figured I would do it early.
I have done A LOT of shopping this week- there was no way I could pass up the great deals I found- but I think my favorite thing is the adorable elephant ring I bought at the Accessory Warehouse. It was my first time at the store, and I walked out with 6 belts and my super cute ring, all for only $18!


The belts were all mixed in on a giant table with tons of overflowing bins, and you really had to dig through to find anything. But I think it was worth it ;)

They also have bags, clutches, wristlets, hats, scarves, and wallet, all super low priced.

friday favorites

Like I said before, I have been sick all week, but still going to class and work (mostly). So I was looking for something cheerful that would brighten up my day. I found that with NYX' super bright eyeliner!



I first heard of NYX from the make-up artist who made my family gorgeous for my sister's wedding. She used the baby blue on my top lids, and it stayed throughout the whole affair- even when I cried! She told me it was cheap and available at most drugstores, so I had to go get my own. I just bought the beautiful turquoise, and a single swipe makes my day that much better!

comfy AND cute

Since I've been sick, all I have wanted to do is wrap myself in a blanket and watch NCIS. But that's not an option for me, so I've been living in cardigans and scarves. This gives me the warm wrapped in a blanket feel, but still looks polished and put together.

Throwing on a scarf with any outfit adds instant pizazz, but putting it on with a slouchy cardi is totally fall. Especially with the changing weather, a scarf is a great option because it adds a layer of warmth without being too bulky or too hot when the sun decides to burst out from behind the clouds.

I went on Polyvore and created a set with 6 different cardigans/dolmans with scarves, all under $50! Let me know which one you like best

comfy and cute by dj47dj featuring a viscose shawl

friday favorites

I spent ALL day in bed on friday, and still managed to forget my friday favorites post. In my defense, I was asleep almost the entire time, and burning up with fever, but still.
Thursday night, I came home from school and work to a giant bag from Stein Mart on my door. My mom, knowing how busy I was and how rundown, bought me a super cute raincoat!
This is the perfect friday favorite, especially with the forecast calling for rain 4 out of 7 days next week.
The raincoat she picked out is this heather grey with a subtle metallic sheen. It is a belted trench with two zippers on each pocket and an asymmetrical zipper up the front and giant silver buttons. It fits perfectly, and is cute enough to wear even when its not raining!
I have been searching for a picture, but can't find one as of right now. I will find and post one soon, cause this coat is just way too adorable to not share.

DIY Christian Louboutins

Like I mentioned here, here, and here, I decided to handmake crystallized heels for my sister's wedding.

Here is how you can make them too!

You'll need:
1 pair of heels (these can be whatever style you want- plain pumps are easiest)
1 pair of tweezers
4-7 tubes of superglue (i found the gel was MUCH easier to work with)
4 tubes of .55 mm crystals (or whatever size appeals to you; these are what I used)
2 bags of .4 mm crystals (optional)



1. Put down newspaper to protect your work surface, just in case the superglue leaks

2. Lay one heel down on its side so that the back is facing you

3. Spill the larger crystals out onto the table, and turn them so they are all facing up (this makes them easier to grab and place)

4. Gently squeeze a line of superglue along the edge of the shoe, as close to the sole as you can get, about an inch long

5. Using tweezers, pick up and place the larger stones around the edge of the shoe, pressing down to make sure they stick

*It is totally optional to use the larger stones to form a base. I found it easier, and this way the other stones stayed in place, plus it looked nice. If you choose not to, still do steps 3-5, just with the stones you want to use*

6. Continue making a single line of stones, all along the bottom edge of the shoe. Make sure the glue is dry before you lay it down, otherwise the stones will shift


7. Once you go all the way around, put the shoe aside to dry and repeat steps 2-6 with the other shoe.

8. After that first row is dry, you can continue making rows of stones going around the shoe, until the entire shoe is covered. I chose to go around horizontally because I felt it would fit better on my shoe- but the choice is yours.



Of course, the rows didn't fit perfectly, and the lines didn't always match up, but the end result is so stunning no one even noticed!

I used the tubes of crystals from A.C Moore's celebrations section, and it was $4.99 per tube- the amount of crystals in each varied. One tube had only about 250, another had over 500. The bags of the larger crystals were $2.99 each, also from A.C Moore. I actually found the superglue gel at the Dollar Tree, where I got 3 tubes for $1!
2 bags of crystals: $6
6 tubes of crystals: $30
2 packages of Superglue: $2
heels: old pair of never-worn silver shoes I bought from Spring, back when I worked there, I don't think I paid more than $15 for them

So after 14 hours (hopefully it will take you less time! keep in mind, the bigger crystals you use, the less you'll need to buy, and the quicker the shoe will be covered) and around $60, not to mention multiple glued fingers, I had my incredible, amazing, sparkly, fantastic shoes!