the only alternative to fashion is naked.

Hi girls! Adding a new (weekly!) blog: 3 great products UNDER $3! They will be 'tried and true' products, not just something i throw up here based on price point! For under $10, you can try all threeeeeeeeeee! Here they are! :)

As with anything in fashion, dressing for your sports team is definitely a personal choice. Although it may sound trivial, it's a way to show the world who you're cheering for while expressing your individual style at the same time! Some girls may choose to represent their sports team with just their team's jersey, and some may go the complete opposite direction and wear mini skirts and stilettos. Any interpretation is fine, as long as you're comfortable and feel confident in what you're wearing! This is just the way I choose to show love for my two favorite things in life: sports and fashion.


As a Rays, Lightning, and Colts fan, I'm lucky in that the color schemes are all very similar...blue being the predominant color in all three. If you look in my closet I have a LOT of blue, black, and white...and that's not an accident. 

As much as i LOVE pink, i generally loathe it in sports gear. I believe you should rock the actual colors of your team, not just their logo in baby pink.
But I made an exception for this shirt. I saw it and instantly loved it. To me it looks like something Victoria's Secret PiNK collection would make...if only they made NHL gear. (memo to VS: WE WANT NHL GEAR!!) Anyway. I work in a pretty casual, medical-office environment. I'm not allowed to wear jeans, but otherwise as long as you don't look like you're wearing your pajama's you're ok. I tend to wear dresses with cardigans or khaki's with polo shirts, but on a big game day I *NEED* to represent. This is an example of how I'd do it for work: layer your favorite sports tee with a dressier cardigan and cute necklace, pair with pencil skirt or work-appropriate pants and cute shoes..and voila! No one will doubt which team you want to win the big game! ;) 





When I actually attend the games, and there's no 'dress code', that's when I really have fun. My favorite is to buy player t-shirts (i just buy the men's small usually..cheaper than women's stuff typically!) and cut the neck off so it hangs off the shoulder, dancer-style. I think it instantly makes your look WAY more feminine, and personally I do not look good with a high neck t-shirt. Ick. All you need is your tee shirt and a pair of scissors - start on one side and cut right underneath the hem at the neck (cutting through both sides), and as you get to the other side, gradually increase how much you cut so that one side has more cut off than the other. Done!

a few of my favorite clip/pin flowers! :)

Also, accessorize! As you can see in the picture above, i love flower pins/clips! The one on my top above is actually a pin AND a clip for your hair..and I've used it as both! You can find these flower clips just about everywhere now, but I got most of mine at Claire's for about $5! Jewelry is great too! They make me feel girlier and add fun to your regular sports-y look! 

rocking my blue flower headband! [Ulta]

my 'cut off' shirt with flower pin

As far as everything else, I keep it simple at sporting events. Jeans and shoes I'm able to walk long distances in. For those of you who rock the heels and/or uncomfortable shoes, I give you LOTS of credit! But for me, comfort has to be a factor. Ripped up jeans look really cute, as well as the always in fashion dark denim. Basically something I'm going to be comfortable in all day while still looking cute gets an A+ from me!

I love wearing different tennis shoes for different things. I got my black glitter Converse sneaks [$60, Journey's] for Lightning games, and get compliments on them every time I wear them to the Forum! And my blue & white plaid "bRAYSer" shoes were $27 at Payless, and when I wore them on Opening Day a lady asked me where in the Trop she could buy them! (She thought they were official Rays shoes!) I also love my camo Nike's..they're so lightweight and comfortable, I could walk in them forever!



In the end, what you wear any day is a personal choice. [be your own fashionista!] I'd love to know what you guys love wearing to cheer for your favorite teams!

I know it's not quite the end of May, but I'm anxious to share [some] of my favorite products I discovered this month [or very recently] and will *definitely* be repurchasing! In this beauty-product-obsessed world we live in, i love knowing what fellow beauties/fashionista's will be using over and over! Let's get into it!

*L'Oreal 'Go 360° Clean' facial cleanser for Sensitive Skin 
 -this product has replaced my millions of different facial cleansers I purchased trying to find the right one. At about $6 it's a steal, the "scrublet" that comes with it is wonderful for makeup removal and getting your face 'deep down' clean. it's creamy and feels great on your skin and works great for occasionally-blemish-prone skin. Plus it's gentle enough to use twice a day, like I do. (and i have very sensitive skin). They also have some for "normal" skin, and an anti-acne scrub as well.

*Mary Kay 'Timewise Age Fighting Moisturizer" 
- I was skeptical about this product. A patient at my office sold Mary Kay products and I only asked what night cream she recommended, when she told me she used this morning and night. I'm a total Clinique "dramatically different" girl, have been since I was 13. But she gave me a sample and i was HOOKED. At $22, it's about $2 less than Clinique. I think I snubbed my nose at it thinking it was something my mom would have used..not exactly, "young and youthful". But who cares! I've never had skin so soft, and the dry patches I've experienced my whole life are gone!

*Bath and Body Works [specifically, 'Forever Sunshine']
-There was a time in high school where i was obsessed with all things B&BW. After awhile I felt i [literally] had all the things I wanted from them. Well, apparently times have changed. I waltzed by a B&BW store a few weeks ago and was shocked they had all new products with all new packaging and scents. And I'm in love again. I have a ZILLION new things and honestly love every single thing, but the 'Forever Sunshine' scent stands out as my favorite. B&BW explains it as "apricot, pink peonies, and a hint of praline". I just call it amazing. OH and their Triple Moisture Body Cream ($12) is outstanding. I have very dry, sensitive skin, and it leaves mine soft and smelling awesome all day!



*Urban Decay Primer Potion
-Simply stated, this is the #1 product Urban Decay sells for a reason. In my opinion, the best thing that's ever happened to eye shadows. You can use a $1 eye shadow and get amazing pigmentation and long wearing color payoff. You never know how much you need this product until you have it. At $19 (Ulta, Sephora), it's a little pricey, but the tube will last you forever (you only need a tiny dab per eye!) If you like your eyeshadow crease-free, long lasting, and beautifully pigmented, pick this up!


*Clinique All About Eyes eye cream
-an amazing eye de-puffer, also works great on dark circles (mine are extra dark- ahh genetics, gotta love 'em.) Creamy formula, claims to keep wrinkles around eyes at bay too. (hey, it's never too early to prevent them!) $32, Clinique counters, Sephora



*Maybelline Super Stay 24 Hour Foundation
-I don't always use foundation (90% of the time just concealer and powder), but when I do this has become my go-to product. Only $9.99 (Walgreens) and it truly does have some staying power. The color matches perfectly to my skin and does not break me out (definite plus). Goes on easily with a foundation brush OR your fingertips. Even better over foundation primer.....



*MakeUp Forever HD High Definition Primer [in blue]
-this product is no bargain, it was $40 at Sephora. BUT I'm pretty sure you could use this product for 10 years and you would move on before it ran out. I heard about this primer from a few different youtube 'beauty guru's' and had to give it a try. I picked up the blue shade, which claims to "give radiance to fair skin and correct minor imperfections". I'm sure any primer would work similarly but I absolutely love how smooth it goes on over my moisturizer, and how long wearing it makes my makeup. And doesn't break me out (a common theme in my favorite products)

*Conair "Bun Maker" system
-honestly, obsessed with this $5 gem (drugstores, Ulta). Comes with simply a hair tie, pins, and this mesh "donut" you add to your ponytail before making a bun for extra fullness (and awesomeness!) to your bun. Buns are very in style right now (especially the ballerina inspired top bun!) but I always felt mine was lacking a little "oomph". Well, this is a $5 investment I'm loving. Whether my hair is curly or straight, this looks great!


*Sally Hansen "Salon Effects real nail polish strips" [and nail polish in general!]
Confession: when I first saw these in stores, I hated them. And couldn't believe they were $10. I am eating my words. I bought the "girl flower" pattern (shown here) on sale at Walgreens last week and wanted to add them to just a few nails and polish the rest. Not only are these the easiest things ever, they're so cute and fun! I probably wouldn't put them on all my nails (a little too much in my opinion), but if you wanted to you could, they're SO easy! I'm loving my nails in general lately, and obsessed with collecting nail polish!

this it the color. it comes off orange in pictures?!

*bonus mini "nail file"!!* my current nail look is Orly nail lacquer in "Va Va Voom" ($8, Ulta)

Everyone wants to look their best. Not everyone is willing to go broke doing it. Through my obsessive compulsiveness, I've found quite a few great drugstore dupes for popular department store makeup products, as well as some amazing drugstore makeup I wanted to share!

left: Viva Glam Gaga I - right: Rimmel lipstick in Pink Blush

*amazing dupe alert!* Viva Glam Gaga I lipstick by MAC came out about 6 months ago and sold out everywhere immediately. All the proceeds went to Aids research, which is amazing...but it was a Limited Edition product they don't make anymore. And I was clamoring for it. Through my hours and hours of reading fashion blogs and watching beauty-guru videos, I found this UH-MAZING dupe for it. It's by Rimmel London...it's sold everywhere from Walgreens, Ulta, Target, and even WalMart! [and at only $6, it's a must have!]

the NARS splurge. the blush is a tad bit  darker.

*amazing dupe #2!* Bronzer is a spring and summer staple no matter where you live. But if you're like  me, when Spring rolls around you crave that sunkissed glow more than ever! Nars "Laguna" bronzer is a staple with makeup artists for it's amazing pigmentation and ability for buildable coverage without ever looking muddy or dirty on your face. Also, it works with just about every skin tone!
For cheeks, Nars blushes have a cult following with makeup artists and celebrities. Their pigmented and gorgeous. Nars released a Laguna bronzer/Orgasm blush duo last year which is absolutely amazing. 

even the packaging is similar!

The only problem is the price! LUCKILY, for all my fellow fashionistas-who-would-rather-eat-all-week, there is a dupe. An AMAZING, THREE DOLLAR dupe! Introduce yourself to E.L.F. (Eyes, Lips, Face) Their makeup is sold at most Target stores as well as online (eyeslipsface.com) The best part? Their makeup ranges in price, starting at only $1 (no i didn't miss any numbers there!) to on average $5. Another amazing feature of this makeup: everything from it's packaging to it's pigmentation is amazing! 


I picked up the Nars Laguna/Orgasm dupe, called simply bronzed/blushed at Target, and it has become an everyday product in my makeup routine. The bronzer is not overly shimmery and natural looking even when I'm at my fairest, and the blush will perk you up and make you look gorgeous no matter how much (or little!) sleep you got the night before. (more on blush and how much i heart it next..) 

Nars "Desire" blush

Finally, for this edition of 'dupe-tastic'; as promised, blush. Another E.L.F. blush, actually. i believe blush is along the same lines as mascara in a beauty routine: just a little bit on the apples of your cheeks can change your entire look..for the better! I love Nars Orgasm blush, it was expensive and I use it sparingly but I love the look of it. I was at Sephora a few months ago and noticed a new one I "had to have" - Nars Desire. 

E.L.F. Studio Blush in Pink Passion

It looks NEON pink in the pan, but on your cheeks it gives an amazing, healthy glow and reeeeally perks you up. The Sephora employee tried it on my cheeks and I was in love - but passed. $27 is a LOT of money, even for me. Not two weeks later while at Target I was checking out the E.L.F. products...and stumbled upon ELF blush in Pink Passion. Best part: it was $3. And it lasts all day..gorgeously! 




I plan on doing this often, I am obsessed with finding great dupes for more expensive products. Even if I was willing to spend the $$ for the more expensive brand, why would I? I have hockey/baseball games to attend...And clothes to buy! ;) 

If you subscribed to my blog last week, you saw my previous post featuring my inspiring nail polish, Milani Jewel FX in 'gold'. [pictured right->>] 


Unfortunately, blogger decided to crash after that (it couldn't handle my awesomeness? haha) and it was deleted. 


I usually change my nail polish once a week, if not more. I used to go to the salon and get my nails done professionally, until I realized how much money I was throwing away and ultimately I liked what I did even more than what they did. It's easy to change your whole look with your nails - from the always in style french manicure (a favorite of mine, so preppy and fresh!) to this crazy gold glitter. I decided I liked doing my nails (and changing them up!) so much, I'd make it a weekly addition to my blog.

my Fashion Week inspiration.

This week, my inspiration was something that was seen all over the runway during Fashion Week in NYC a couple of months ago, and on the finger tips of my fave celebs, including Lauren Conrad. The look, pictured here, is "Ombre". A french term meaning 'shaded'. 


I love OPI nail lacquer and have a ton of it to choose from, but I didn't have any in the same shades as one another, and really wanted to duplicate the Fashion Week look. I headed to Wal-Mart where I found "Pure Ice" nail polishes, for only $2 each! They have a full range of colors from neons to nudes, and it was there I found, and picked up, four blue shades in the same color family. For my 5th finger I decided to use an OPI polish I already had. Picture of polishes used to the right. 


*Colors pictured above, from Left to Right: Pure Ice in All Night Long, Pure Ice polish in Celestial, Pure Ice polish in Splash, Pure Ice polish in A-list, and OPI nail lacquer in TimeLess is More*


I knew I didn't want to spend $9 a piece for 4 OPI polishes that are presently on trend but not classic colors I'd find myself reaching for. I am SO pleasantly surprised with the quality of these $2 Wal Mart polishes..I'm seriously considering heading back to the store I despise just to buy some other colors! You can afford to be on trend and experiment with your nails when the polish is that cheap! (just use a good base/top coat!)






here is the finished product! 
I love it!
Next week....who knows! :)

If you're anything like me, every time you step foot in a mall or click on a website, you want what they have. They seduce you with their "New Arrivals" and they're "must-haves!" In my 'former' life I spent money like it grew on trees. But these days, I'm trying to be smarter with my money and what I spend it on. So here's a list of my favorite Spring trends. The BEST part: they're cheap..(or FREE!)

Spring Trend #1 - florals. Floral patterns are EVERYWHERE this Spring, and why not? They're fun, flirty, and so gorgeous! Even better, since they're a HUGE trend this season, they're all over the place! I found adorable dresses at Forever 21 and (more unexpectedly) JC Penney for a good deal. But my favorite is pictured here, only $24.99 from Target! I picked this one up, as well as another pattern. I plan on going back for the others too! So cute! 


Spring Trend #2 - destructed denim. As "stylish" as I always try to be, I'm generally a "jeans and t-shirt" girl. After all, I'm also sports-obsessed, and it drives me insane when I see girls at sporting events in mini skirts and stilettos! (; I am ob-sessed with jeans. And right now there's nothing cuter than denim with rips, shreds, and holes! Whether denim shorts, bermuda's, or jeans, paired with a simple white burnout v-neck tee and cute shoes you're good to go, and cute for whatever your plans are! fashionista-on-a-budget tip: make some yourself! here's how: take a pair of jeans or shorts, take scissors and make slits over knee area, underneath pockets, and wherever else you'd like. Then take sand paper (a nail file works too!) and rub it on the area you cut, to fray it. Afterwards, wash your new spring trend with fabric softener once or twice to soften them and make them "aged". You only want to do this with 100% cotton denim, no stretch - it won't turn out. 

my "steal" bag! (:

the ridiculous splurge

Spring Trend #3 - hardware! As girly as a lot of Spring trends are this year, I'm LOVING the mix of more masculine, "harsher" pieces mixed with the softer, more feminine trends. Grommets and hardware detailing has been in style for awhile now, and Spring has it back and better than ever! Grab a cute and comfy pair of flats adorned with studs or grommets, or my favorite, bags! Instead of going into 10 years of credit card debt for this (amazing!) Miu Miu bag, find an inexpensive, just-as-cute-without-going-broke alternative, like the one i found at TJ Maxx for $30! I absolutely LOVE it and get compliments on it wherever I go! It was well made, and i don't have to eat cereal for the rest of my life to afford it!

my favorites are the hot pink & yellow!

Spring Trend #4 - NEON! I love wearing black and white but have you ever noticed your mood is literally 'lifted' when you wear color? Well, imagine how good you'll feel wearing this Springs gorgeous, highlighter-brights! You'll see this trend in everything, from sunglasses to hair accessories to my fave, V-neck tees! There's something so simple and effortless about throwing on a burnout tee! Needless to say this trend can perk up anyone's wardrobe! My pick's are from the Victoria's Secret PiNK collection. Only 17.50 each! 


Spring Trend #5 - jewelry Okay..I am a jewelry FANATIC. I feel naked without it. I love the way costume jewelry can change your entire look without spending a ton of money. The bonus is, if it goes out of style next month, at least you're not out a ton of hard earned cash! 

floral/rose gold/pearl necklace - F21

native American bib necklace, F21

I feel like jewelry changes your look no matter how often you wear something. I would pick jewelry as my #1 staple of your wardrobe! Forever 21 always has an incredible selection of the most on-trend jewelry at the lowest possible price point. If you live near a Forever 21, or can be patient enough to wait for it to come in the mail from their online store, I highly recommend it. However, I do not live near a F-21, and I'm impatient. Have you ever looked at the jewelry selection at Target, or even Wal-Mart!? It's incredible! This season is all about florals, nautical-inspired chunky pieces, menswear watches, and girly, feminine accessories. Leather and grommet cuffs are huge, as are native-American inspired looks.. and my personal favorite......rose-gold tone! So beautiful and rich looking! 



All in all, you DO NOT have to spend a lot of money to look fresh and hot this Spring! Most importantly..remember, whatever you wear YOU have to feel good in it. If you feel confident in your clothes, people will take notice! ..and it'll have nothing to do with how much you spent. ;) 


 *blair (;