beauty moment: baby pink

i've loved pale pink pretty much my entire life (save for a brief phase in which i told my 2nd grade class my favorite color was black in an attempt to be rebellious...) and find it acceptable on almost anything -- pants, dresses, bedding, flowers, accessories, jewelry, walls, art, tees... and of course nails. a pale pink manicure is the epitome of chic, but until recently, most of the pale pink polish varieties had been decidedly sheer. kind of 'your nails but better' and so subtle -- almost colorless.

i wasn't so into that timid 'pale pink.' it wasn't until i discovered the opaque, cotton candy goodness of butter london's 'teddy girl' lacquer (pictured below) that i became instantly re-obsessed with my girlish pale pink past. finally, real pale pink nails were back in the most saccharine of ways, and i had a sneaky suspicion nail polish was just the beginning.

my personal obsession continued when i snapped up my beloved ysl  sheer candy lip balm in 'cool guava' -- basically the best tinted balm that has ever existed. it's ultra-moisturizing, perfectly tinted and a little bit shiny; all in all, the perfect amount of color for daytime errands. and it comes in a sleek silver bullet of a tube, so you still feel like you're applying lipstick.

 then i spotted the MAC ad {below} in this month's  issue of vogue and couldn't contain my excitement (nor could my best friend, betsy). baby pink nails and baby pink lips? is it sickeningly sweet? way too cute? maybe, if you pair the look with a gingham dress or glittery flats. super-sugary lips and nails like this look best with simple, streamlined ensembles that aren't girly in the least. but as the proud owner of more florals and bows than i can physically count, i'm not one to judge how you rock this look.

 

{ image: MAC advertisement for the new st. germain makeup range // products: MAC nail lacquer in st. germain / MAC lipstick in st. germain / butter london nail lacquer in teddy girl / YSL volupte sheer candy glossy lip balm in cool guava }

II emily

recent purchases

still keeping a constant mental wish list of things i need to buy for my upcoming time in nyc. still yet-to-be-purchased: a sleek white blazer, a handful of basic tees and tanks, white skinnies, and snakeskin flats. life is hard.

i stopped by h&m and zara last week to get some choice pieces that will carry me through the entire summer. i consider gold flats as essential to my wardrobe as great denim, and i've been on a quest for a simple leopard-print dress for months. it was icing on the cake that i snapped one up at h&m for just $12. as for the sequin clutch, i didn't think i could leave the store without it, especially since it was 30% off (at the unlikely ann taylor) and because silver is having such a major comeback. 

i of course had to include my favorite somewhat-new wrist accessory... my gold kate spade 'seaport grand' watch. are those neon pink accents not totally genius? plus some new gems from stella & dot, one of my favorite jewelry lines. i'm not usually one for long necklaces or pendants at all, but i'm completely obsessed with that giant white coral.

{ from top: zara gold flats, ann taylor clutch, zara sandals, kate spade watch, h&m dress, stella & dot 'luna' wrap bracelet, stella & dot stackable band rings, stella & dot 'cameron' pendant}

II 

emily

an ombré occasion

lately the only items in my closet that i'm remotely interested in are my colorful skinnies.  it's so easy to throw them on with the perfect white tee and an armful of bracelets - the result is a cute and put-together outfit with minimal time invested. eureka!

the marginally more thoughtful approach to wearing colorful pants is embracing the color statement... like, really embracing it. i could not love tangerine + hot pink combinations more, and mixing mint green + aqua, lemon yellow + peach, or cobalt blue + violet all make for equally fun and chic color-splashed ensembles.

my favorite variation on this color-blocking, though, is a very subtle ombré approach. of all the modes of sporting colorful pants, this one may be the trickiest; you want the colors to almost match, yet also differ from each other enough that you can decipher between them - and, all at once, they have to look good together! you may ask yourself... is it even worth it? has the fashion industry run out of ideas and are now forced to throw us this big of a curveball? fear not, ladies. it is doable! and so, so attractive.

the best part? a nearly-monochrome ensemble allows you to accessorize literally however you choose (hence the enormous appeal to yours truly). you can go sleek and minimal with matching gold cuffs, dress it up with a sparkly statement necklace, or take a turn for the tribal with an armful of friendship bracelets. the options are truly endless, as are the 

shades of grey + cool metallic extras.

cream + white: perhaps the best color combination ever.

bright cobalt + pretty cornflower with bold sandals, cool cuffs and funky sunglasses.

my ultimate ombré inspo: mint on mint + the chicest accessories. 

white on white with peach add-ons. (and a sparkly clutch doesn't hurt.)

{ images via lookbook, late afternoon, cupcakes and cashmere, fellt by tuula }

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liz

art & fashion

{ dress: asos // painting via kitty genius.com }

i love when fashion reminds me of art. a certain color, silhouette or pattern can instantly call to mind a specific painting or sculpture. here, an unexpected color combination - pink, coral, and navy blue - look equally stunning on a feminine dress and a giant piece of wall art.

II emily

island time

{ images via tommy ton for style.com (particularly this fab feature on sydney fashion week) and his jak & jill blog }

no matter how much we all love "island style" and the glamourous life that goes with it (four-digit thread count egyptian cotton towels,  golden tans, gauzy caftans and veuve mimosas with breakfast, that kind of thing), we can all agree that the quintessential hawaiian shirt is kind of repulsive. 

hawaiian shirts are especially unfortunate when they are ultra-oversized, and for a reason i'm still not quite sure of i've made it my life's mission to carry out a full-fledged vendetta against them. don't men know a short-sleeved dress shirt is an oxymoron in and of itself? those wide, billowing sleeves... the weird silk-blend material... and of course the hawaiian print, which is rarely spectacular.

however. taking cues from the less offensive aspects of island style... well, that's a completely different story. picture one of gaugin's signature paintings: tahitian women lounging in a wild jungle, flowers blooming all around in warm, deeply saturated hues. you practically feel transported to that humid atmosphere, heady with aromas of flora and fauna. it's sexy and natural and the complete opposite of the 'classic' hawaiian shirt i'm sure you've forgotten by now.

island style is back in full force, popping up on street style sweethearts and mass retailers (re: h&m, zara) alike. take sydney fashion week, for example (photos above). bold, bright tropical prints were the trend du jour, presenting themselves in a number of fresh and creative ways. solo stunners like tiny hot pants, oversized blazers, studded tanks or a simple head wrap enable the trend to blend seamlessly into your ensemble (aka, pair them with solid, neutral colors). it's sleek and simple, with plenty of impact.

or you could go the bolder route, which i prefer: mix tropical prints together to up the irony factor. you're well aware of the slight absurdity of this trend; why not take it to the next level? i mean, really --  leaf prints? mirrored hibiscus patterns? it's over-the-top and totally unexpected, but that's why its a trend. it's taking something old and giving it new life. like any born-again trend, the key really is juxtaposition.

II emily