What We're Wearing

I am in full-blown summer mode, ignoring all the rain and embracing the warm temperatures. I'm sure that this doesn't totally shock everyone, but I use my nails to reflect my feelings, outfits, almost everything. I am now ready to whip out my bright neon polishes. Today, I'm wearing Color Club Polish in Reign in Spain.

I got this polish in my last Birchbox, having shared some of my previous monthly boxes with you; Birchbox, Beauty Box 5, Glossy Box and Starbox. What can I say? Opening my mailbox and seeing only bills is beyond depressing, but a box of beauty goodies mixed in between all of the final warning notices really helps ease the pain. Anyway, this polish is so fun and almost seems to glow! Makes my hands look tan, which I also love. Tried holding up my fingers against my face while walking around, just didn't seem to have the same effect.

Perfectly Glossed Kisses,

Sutton

I got these insane, so-bad-they’re-good sneakers at Urban Outfitters for TEN DOLLARS, y’all. Practically neon tropical-print with a Spice Girl platform. Decided to debut them today with a vintage denim vest and vintage cut-off Megadeath tee, along with a perdy little white brocade skirt from, yes, Kohl’s.

Handbags and Hugs,

Astor

 

Beauty Secrets Revealed Volume VII

If you have read Volume One, Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six, you know that I am jammed packed with beauty tips and secrets. Because I love you all I am ready to share Volume VII! Send me your own beauty secret to SobbingOnFifth@gmail.com and share it, whoever sends the best tip will be featured in next months Beauty Secrets Post AND will win a surprise prize! You know how great my giveaways are so you should all enter!

1.) Zap Static From Your Hair

          Does it look like you just rubbed a balloon on your head? Funny when you're four, not so much anymore. Get rid of that static immediately by smoothing a dryer sheet over your hair. If you don't have any dryer sheets you can also spritz a bit of Static Guard on your hair brush - a few strokes and smooth hair here you come.

2.) Keep Mascara On Your Lashes, Not Your Eyelids

          I hate when I take my time applying my mascara and getting every single tiny lash only to look in the mirror and see that the top of my lashes have left dots on my eyelid. So, just keep your chin up! No, literally keep your chin up, tilting your chin down enables the mascara to get on your eyelids.

3.) Perfectly Applied Blush - No Clowns Here

          Everyone knows that blush should be applied to the apples of your cheeks and swept outward. It's easy to find the apples of your cheeks when you smile. But you need to make sure that you start the blush two fingers width away from your nose!

4.) Flakey Faces Be Gone

          Before applying your face powder, whether it's blush, bronzer, basically any powder, you should give a light blow to the brush. Dip, blow, apply, and repeat. This will guarantee that your makeup doesn't flake.

5.) Refrain From Split Ends

          What's better than a perfect blowout? Not much! With that said, what's worse then a perfect blowout when you have split ends? Again, not much! After showering make sure that you don't start blow drying your hair when it's still sopping wet - this will cause split ends. So, air dry a bit before you begin!

Perfectly Glossed Kisses,

Sutton

Firefly Music Festival Photo Diary

This past weekend I went to the Firefly music festival in Dover, Delaware. I was compelled to go to spend a weekend with two friends, one I don’t get to see very often, and because a bunch of my all-time favorite bands were playing. But normally, I am not a festival person. You will not see “festival style guide” posts or “what to wear to a festival” on this blog. I am not one to think a combination of Hunter boots and flower crowns is a perfect match (though fine on their own). I do not subscribe to the bikini-top-as-shirt school of thought. And I do not like mud. So you will be especially surprised that I agreed to camping instead of staying at a hotel for this shindig. I wish I could tell you it was a weekend of soul-inspiring self discovery and that not being able to shower when I wanted to or sleeping thisclose to strangers lead me to realize the important things of life, but it just made me feel grimey, gross and irritated. HowEVER, the two things that made me go in the first place were just as great as I’d hoped: time with friends and music. I bonded with strangers in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd singing at the top of our lungs to Tom Petty – and got close enough to the man himself to make the lack of personal space worth it. I had my love of newer band Youngblood Hawke absolutely confirmed, and fell in love with the Avett Brothers. I stood in the pouring rain to watch Matt and Kim absolutely tear the stage apart – have literally never seen energy like theirs. I realized what all the hype around Haim was about. And so, while I’m not going to tell you what to wear to festivals (I don’t think I got it right, so I’m no authority), I will tell you to go – and stay in a hotel – and I will share some pictures of what made the gross camping worth it: the music.

Our home.

The Avett Brothers.

Blurry pictures of Tom Petty I clarified for you with the picture of him on the big screen.

 

Youngblood Hawke - listen. Now.

Handbags and Hugs,

Astor

Bronze Like A Pro!

Ahh summer - sun, beaches, pools, and tans. Well, not actual tans, because I don't really sunbathe. I burn, turn bright red, succumb to excruciating pain and then quickly turn pale again. Every vacation I go on I ends up with me going to a spa for a sunburn treatment, while Astor and my mom get facials and massages. I have finally learned my lesson, and have since been slathering myself with SPF. (And if you are lucky enough to get a beautiful, even tan, then I will track you down in 20 years and laugh in all of your faces when you’re leathery and wrinkly, while I'm not. So here is a preemptive “ha-ha-ha!”)

But, I don't need to look pale all summer, as if I never leave my apartment, for I can have a gorgeous, bronze glow, too! Bronzer is my best friend all summer long, and it should be yours too. With that said, there’s absolutely nothing worse than looking like a giant orange pumpkin. You want your bronzer to have you look naturally tan.

When picking your perfect shade of bronzer, you want to get one that is only a few shades darker than your natural skin tone. Don't go overboard. A super dark color won't make you look more tan, but rather make you look as if a child did your makeup. I live for NYR Organic's Mineral Bronzer in the warm shade. It also comes in Golden, so depending on your coloring one of them will be perfect. This bronzer leaves me looking like I have a natural, sun-kissed glow and it has a slight, reflective quality that makes my skin look gorgeous. Best part? It's GOOD for my skin!

Now for application. The pictures used for illustrating proper application (from the MAC website) should only show you where to apply but you still need to blend! You should use a big, puffy brush: stiff, small brushes won't blend your bronzer properly. Dip you brush into the Mineral Bronzer and apply it where the sun would naturally tan your face. On your forehead, nose, and chin. Apply and blend, blend, blend.

Now it's time to do your cheeks. The most natural looking application is to make the number "3" on each side of your face. Start from the forehead, around your eye and down to your jawline.

Lastly, don't forget to bronze your neck. Having a perfectly bronzed face and a pale, white neck is the worst. In addition, if you plan on wearing your hair up, don't forget to apply the bronzer to the back of your neck.

Enjoy your natural looking glow - everyone will be asking what beach you spent the weekend at.

Perfectly Glossed Kisses,

Sutton

Academy for Of Us Pop-Up Event in Greenpoint June 29

We are obsessed with the jewelry line Academy and its effortlessly cool aesthetic - bohemian in the most minimalist, delicate way. Craft-cool and totally unique. So we wanted to let you guys in New York know you can stop by the Academy for Of Us pop-up event in Greenpoint this Saturday! Go!

SOF Scoop: Megan Elliott of Hello Beautiful and Lush to Blush

Sutton and I stumbled upon Hello Beautiful a few weeks ago and had one of those "aha" "duh" moments. Y'all, this is seriously amazing accessories at seriously amazing prices. Super on trend yet timelessly chic, very statement-making - we're talking instant outfit transformers here for a price that won't make you bat an eyelash.

As far as style inspiration, we ended up getting a two-for-one deal when we got in touch with Hello Beautiful's Creative Director and Buyer, Megan Elliott and found out she is also the blogger behind Lush to Blush. This girl seriously does it all. She inspires with her buying choices and styled look books on HB, then she inspires on her own blog. Between these two sites, her impeccably fashion-forward yet effortless and unique style will motivate you to embrace your own style - and give you a few tips on how to do so. So we are basically thrilled to have interviewed Megan about both the accessory paradise that is Hello Beautiful and her personal style destination, Lush to Blush.

SOF: What are your favorite three things in your closet?

ME: It’s constantly changing, but right now I’d have to say my chambray top, my high-rise white skinnies by Angry Rabbit and my Sam Edelman strappy blush wedges. There are so many different ways to style these summer staples; I love that.

SOF: What made you decide to start a blog, and what's your favorite thing about blogging?

ME: I started blogging when the magazine I was writing and editing for folded. I needed that creative outlet to write. I was already writing content daily, as well as managing other writers, so I figured why not? My BFF Meghann was a great support system for me as I got it started and really kept me motivated.

My favorite thing about blogging is the community. Everyone really supports each other. Most blog readers are bloggers themselves, so it’s really important to have that connection with other bloggers.

SOF: What is the last thing you bought?

ME: The last thing I bought was a flower crown by Flower Crown Society. Call me crazy, but I wear these things on the daily. They really add a special dash of pretty to any look.

SOF: For our readers who might not have shopped Hello Beautiful yet - what do you think makes it different and special?

ME: What’s different about our shop is that out main goal is to spread a message of inner beauty. We think it’s important for women to be beautiful on the inside before enhancing the outside. Five percent of all proceeds go to The Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children. We really think helping out in your community is key to inner beauty.

What are your favorite jewelry trends?

Right now my favorite jewelry trend is minimal lines. I love our Violet nail bracelet, Kendall snake cuff, Blake knot accent ring and Penny bar necklace (I wear it backwards so the rhinestones are hidden), just to name a few.

SOF: Where do you find inspiration for styling the lookbooks?

ME: I am constantly reading blogs. Bloggers are a great source of inspiration because there are so many different styles out there. I can get a glimpse of the ordinary, fashion-loving girl, which is our target market, just by going on my computer. I also use Pinterest a lot. Pinterest is great for collaborating with others and for sharing my inspiration with others involved like the photographer, hair stylist/makeup artist, and model.

SOF: What is some styling/accessorizing advice you can offer?

ME: Styling, for me, is all about balance. I don’t like to have too many items of one trend in a look. If I’m going for an edgy look, I throw in a few dainty or girly pieces to even it all out. If I’m styling for an elegant event, I add one simple piece of edge, like a spiked bracelet, to show that little bit of sass that every girl has.

SOF: Do you have a favorite piece on To: Hello Beautiful?

ME: It’s really hard for me to pick a favorite piece since I really like the majority of the items we sell (I did pick them, after all!). But if I had to pick, I think I’d go with Harper. I have her in black and yellow and I never need another bag. I get like that sometimes though—I use a bag until it’s worn out and move on to the next one.

Handbags and Hugs,

Astor