Leather and....More Leather!

I'm going to warn you guys right off the bat, this is going to be a long post. I really like leather jackets, specifically moto jackets. My last post was partially on biker jeans and this one is on the leather jacket equivalent. If you haven't noticed the pattern here it's that my life is pretty boring so the way I incorporate some edge and excitement is through my wardrobe choices. Over my internship this summer we got a BLK Denim Navy leather jacket that I INSTANTLY fell in love with. I would go over to the men's designer department to try it on every single day, and by the end of the internship I had saved enough money to buy it for myself. I justified it by convincing myself that it was my reward for completing my internship and surviving a whole summer in Chicago (trust me, with me attempting to adult for the first time it was close a couple times). Since then I have been obsessed, so obsessed that in searching for jackets to feature in this blogpost I ended up finding way more pieces than I usually feature. So I am going to divide things into two sections. First will be the women's jackets and second the men's. Do keep in mind that these can be pretty unisex so if there is one you love don't get caught up in it being technically labeled a mens or women's garment just do you boo boo. The first two jackets I want to feature are both of these Saint Laurent jackets.

Saint Laurent Moto Jacket-$4990

Saint Laurent Fringe Detail Moto Jacket- $5990

The first is just a beautiful plain black moto jacket with really clean and simple zipper detailing. The second has FRINGE, I love fringe, my favorite color is fringe, and it would be such a great way to add sass to any outfit. I could never wear a fringe leather jacket because I would be constantly shimmy-ing and gyrating Tina Turner Proud Mary style all day and could never get anything done.

Actual footage of me getting all Tina Turnt Turnt

I'm assuming you have more self control and could handle it though. Unfortunately for me and my finances even if I could handle the jacket without twirling myself into a constant state of vertigo there is no way I could afford $5990 or $4900 right now.

BlackNYC Suede Moto Jacket-$198

RD Style Fringe Moto Jacket- $125

So I found these two great alternatives! For the moto jacket without the fringe I decided to go with something a little more fun. This jacket by BlackNYC has a great fit and the Burgundy color adds some interest to what would usually be a plain black jacket. The Suede also gives it a really cool luxe look, and $200 for an all suede jacket really isn't that bad. The fringe jacket is what I'm Most excited about, how awesome is this one by RD Style. It gives you a really similar look at a fraction of the price. The main difference is the color of the hardware but the jersey girl in me is kind of loving the gold hard wear with black. This one is also faux leather for all of you that don't want to wear leather and at $125 it wont break the bank. 

Now on to our mens jackets! Here is where things take an unexpected twist! I actually bought one of the high end versions of the jackets I'm featuring today. Like i said I found a way to justify the purchase and I don't regret it one bit!

BLK Denim Suede Moto Jacket-$995

BLK Denim Navy Moto Jacket-$995

The one I got was the navy one on the left and I love it. The quality of the leather is great and I love all the details that went into making it including the tiny little beads that are hanging from the zippers. I wear it all the time too, to the point that one of my friends nicknamed it my "Janet Jackson jacket" which I've come to embrace.  As I was looking at the website I saw that it came in black suede so I featured it too because I just love suede as a material. As hard as it can be to care for I think it gives a great look. Now I know that almost a grand is pretty a lot for a leather jacket but I have a spending problem ok DON'T YOU JUDGE ME! So lucky for you I found these two for 1/3 of the price and they are almost identical.

Topman Moto Jacket-$210

Topman Suede Moto Jacket-$300

These are both from Topman, one of my favorite fast fashion retailers to shop at. The plain black leather is a similar shape to the BLK denim and is actually on sale right now at Nordstrom.com for $210 which is not a whole lot for a genuine leather jacket. The one I am really in love with is the suede version, it looks almost identical to the BLK denim jacket but is $300 instead of $1000. I am actually considering buying this one because its so much less but would give me pretty much the same look. I mean how cool would it look over some a white t shirt, come coated denim, and combat boots? These jackets can just as easily be dressed up to give your button ups a bit of an edge. For ladies I love the way it looks over just a plain tank dress, and it would complete your look if worn with some distressed skinny jeans, a long t shirt and some pumps. Its an easy way elevate any outfit! By all means wear it indoors too, every time I wear it to work someone will come up to me and ask "oh my gosh how are you wearing that inside aren't you hot?' and my response always is....

Actual footage of me being sassy at work

Here is a picture of me in my jacket just to give you guys an idea of one of the ways I wear it.

I went with black biker jeans, black boots, and an oversized longline t shirt (for when I ate too much during lunch). The all black really made the blue of the jacket pop and it really elevated the plain t shirt and jeans and made me feel super B.A. all day. Not gonna lie I was a little warm but as long as I didn't move to much I was fine and I looked so cool it was worth it. Now get out there and join me in my moto jacket obsession! Whether you are wearing it with light wash jeans and converse Grease style or using it to add some edge to a dressy outfit I promise you will end up looking like a Bad B! 

DENIM

Ok so it's been a while since my last post, kinda graduated and became somewhat of an adult since then so yay (not really HELP I have no idea what I'm doing S.O.S.). With graduating came a new city  (Chicago) and a new job (Nordstrom) along with a dress code. I work in a contemporary mens department that carries most of the designer denim in the store, so my dress code is expected to reflect that. Now I had never been really been a fan of jeans, I have always struggled to find a pair that fit my Latina too many tacos al pastor curves right. However since working with so many jeans lately I have gotten the chance to try pretty much everything on and a couple styles have really grown on me. My two favorites are  biker and coated denim, they give any outfit an edge and are more interesting than the traditional pair of jeans. Biker jeans have details like zippered pockets on the front and stitching around the knees and coated jeans are covered in a wax coating to give them a leather look. In other words it gives you the leather pant look minus the sweaty booty. The two designer pairs I found were a pair of Balmain biker jeans and an Alexander McQueen pair of black coated jeans.

Balmain Biker Jeans-$1950

Alexander McQueen coated jeans- $645

I mean whats not to love they both have amazing detailing and the Balmain ones even incorporate both the biker jean with coated denim! The McQueen pant comes in at $645 and the Balmain at pretty much 2000 FREAKIN DOLLARS. Obviously I cant afford either one of these, and whoever tells you that you are rolling in dem stacks after graduation is a liar and also an asshole for getting your hopes up. If anything I am on a tighter budget now than I was during school because bills and stuff. Have no fear however I found two really great low cost alternatives to both of these.

Zara Biker Jean-$79

Asos Coated Super Skinny Jean-$60 $39

Can we all just give one big collective YAAAAAS for what a great deal these both are. Especially in comparison the the designer pairs. Now I know the Zara pair aren't as intricate as the Balmain pair but they give you the same look and have the biker details at a way lower price. I actually bought a pair of hudson ones at work that I love. They are super comfortable and look very similar to the Balmain ones but those are originally almost $300. The Zara ones I just came across while checking out their website and are almost the same and a fraction of the price. The coated ones are almost exactly the same as the Alexander McQueen ones though minus the zippers on the side pockets and look at the price! They are only $39 dollars on sale!!! I actually own these though and word of warning if you do not like skinny jeans you may want to pass these are TIGHT and you have to size up one from your regular size. If you do like the skinny fit though get ready to look SNATCHED because the fit is great and they have a great deal of stretch so they are super comfortable. Whether you decide to buy the designer pair (if you do let me borrow them plzzz) or the budget b ones get ready to add a tiny bit of bad ass to your outfit every day.

PS- Care tip for jeans especially the coated pair. DON'T WASH THEM or wash them as little as possible and for the love of god do not I repeat DO NOT put them in the dryer. It sounds gross i know but your jeans will thank you. Especially if you are investing in a designer pair. The wax coating will wash off if you put them in the wash and if you dry them the heat will just melt it right off and you will lose the finish. Also with the skinny fit styles and most jeans now they all have a bit of spandex or elastane in them. The synthetic blend will give them stretch so they fit comfortably and also keeps them from losing their shape too much during wear. However if these fibers are exposed to heat (aka the dryer) they start to break down and your jeans wont last as long. Fabreze and or the gentle cycle and hang drying will be your best friend. So there you go you learned something about fibers today and you have cool pants.

Lilly Collin's Orange Lip

I am a really huge fan of orange lipsticks. I think everyone looks great in a red lip, and finding the right shade is important, but there is something about an orange toned red lip that I love. Its a good twist on a the classic  and a great way to incorporate a strong lip in the spring and summer without looking out of season. One of my favorite orange lip moments is Lilly Collin's look she wore at a G-Star event. She had a softly defined eye, her signature bold brow, and the great bold orange lip. It contrasted great with the white top she was wearing and her dark brows and hair.

Credit:Rachel Murray Photo of Lilly Collins/Wireimage 08/13/13

Credit:Rachel Murray Photo of Lilly Collins/Wireimage 08/13/13

Credit:Rachel Murray Photo of Lilly Collins/Wireimage 08/13/13

Homegurl looks GOOD! This look landed her on a number of magazines beauty sections, and I have been wanting to recreate this look on someone but have just been looking for the right model. As soon as I saw Katey I knew this was the look I wanted to do on her. So here is my BEAUTIFUL model Katey in my version of this look with all budget friendly products. 

Here are the products I used on Katey to create this look!

EYES
Milani Eyeshadow Primer 5.99- A thin layer was spread over the lids to prime them for eyeshadow
Flower Cosmetics Color Play Cream Shadow in Wild Geranium $7.98-I patted this on the mobile lid and inner corner with my ring finger as a base for the powder eyeshadow
Milani Gel Powder Eyeshadow in Bella Chiffon $4.49- This was placed over the cream shadow to create a shimmery lid and used under the brow bone as a highlight 

BH Cosmetics 26 Shadow Blush Combo Palette $10.50-With a domed shadow brush I took the medium brown shadow (6th shadow in the 2nd row) and used it to define Katey's crease, this was also blended into the outer corners of the eyes and smoked out on the lower lash line
Jordana Fabuliner Liquid Liner in Black $2.49-I applied a thin line over the top lash line to help define the eyes and help cover the seam of the false lashes
Essence I Love Crazy Volume Mascara $4.99-This was brushed lightly on to top and bottom lashes
Qosmedix Demi False Eyelashes in black $1.80-Placed on top lash line with black duo lash adhesive to create a dramatic look
Nyx Tinted Brow Mascara in Black $7.00-This was brushed on Katey's brows to darken them and shape them into a fuller shape
FACE
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Skin Liquid Lighting in Candlelight $52.00-I used this to prime my models skin and create a glowing base for foundation. I know this isn't a drug store product but I have been obsessed with this primer and I couldn't help but use it. A great alternative would be Nyx Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator in Gleam its only $7.50 and has a similar effect on the skin
Wet and Wild Cover All Cream Foundation in Fair and Fair/Light $3.99-I mixed the two lightest shades of this foundation to perfectly match Katey's skin and I blended on her face with a damp beauty blender sponge
Maybeline Fit Me Concealer in Fair $6.99- This was placed under Katey's eyes, down the bridge of her nose, on the chin, and forehead to highlight her face and was blended in seamlessly with a beauty blender sponge
NYC Smooth Skin Looser Powder in Translucent $2.77- This was used to lightly powder the center of the face and the under eye area
Milani Bronzer XL in Fake Tan $9.99-The darker of the two bronzers was brushed in the hollows of her cheeks and on her temples with an angled blush brush to create a sculpted look
e.l.f Studio Blush Palette in Light $6.00-The coral blush (2nd blush on 2nd row) was applied lightly with a duo fiber brush to create flushed cheeks
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Candlelight $44.00- Placed on the tops of cheeksbones and bridge of the nose to create glow with a fan brush. Again this one is not a drug store product but any shimmering white gold shadow could be used to replace it. The e.l.f studio baked highlighter in moonlight pearls is also a great alternative 
LIPS
Wet and Wild Mega Last Lip Color in Purty Persimmon $2.29-This was applied to the lips with a thin lip brush for a precise application

I loved the way the look turned out, the lip looked great with Katey's skin tone and dark hair and brows! The lip color looked a lot more orange and very similar to the one Lilly wore in person but for some reason with the lighting in the picture it looks more pink. I hope this inspires you to rock a bright orange lip this summer its a great way to incorporate a bright lip into your spring and summer makeup routine, and like always there is always a way to look like a Bad B on a Budget! 

Kendall Jenner Chanel 2015 Look

I think us midwesterners can finally say that spring officially here, thank goodness. After mother nature teasing us with warm days one week and then plunging back down to the 30s the next I think she has finally given up her cruel game and let us have our spring weather. With warmer weather coming up, comes fresher more natural makeup because no one wants a caked on face that is gonna drip off during the day. I saw the Spring 2015 Chanel Runway a couple weeks ago and I loved how bright and fun to collection was. It was overloaded with flowers, from the set, to the pieces of clothing. Apparently it took the set designers 6 months to create the flowers that decorated the runway for this collection.

(sorry I couldn't help but add this GIF from my favorite movie)

What I really fell in love with was the makeup for the models, it was a fresh face of glowing foundation, a wash of grey across the lids, and a bright coral lip. I think the best part of spring is all of the bright lip colors you can start to wear once you have a bit of glow from being out in actual daylight. Here is the look my makeup today was inspired by.

Image Of Kendall Jenner Sonny Vandevelde/ Indigitalimages.com 

The Kardashian's are all over the place right now and usually they are known for their very heavy practically drag queen application of their makeup. However, I think Kendall looks very natural here and the bright coral lip I think looks great with her dark hair and eyes. You cant tell because of the netting over her eyes but all the other models had a bit of grey/taupe eye shadow on their lids as well which I thought defined the lids in a simple way. I decided to use my sister for this look because I thought her full brows, dark hair, and eyes are similar enough to Kendall's to compliment this look. Here is how it turned out on here!

I really wanted the lips to be the star of the show here so I kept Lupe's base very minimal and natural as well as the eyes. I used a bright coral liquid lipstick from Rimmel that is pretty much an EXACT dupe for the Chanel color they used on Kendall. Here are the products I used in the order I applied them on her face.

EYES
Milani Eyeshadow Primer $5.99- A thin layer of this was smoothed over the lid with the ring finger to keep shadow in place all day.
Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo in Audacious Asphalt $3.49- I used a flat shadow brush to place this on lash line and blend up towards the crease seamlessly
Bh Cosmetics 26 Shadow Blush Combo Palette $10.50- I used the shimmery taupe shade (1st shadow in the 3rd row) to place over the cream shadow at the lash line and blended it up the same way. Then I used the matte medium brown shadow ( 7th shadow in the first row) and blended it into the crease with a domed blended brush to define the crease and further blend the taupe shadow into the lid.
Essence I love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara $4.99- After curling the lashes this was lightly applied to top lashes to define them naturally.
Qosmedix Medium Flare Individual False Lashes $1.80- I applied a couple of these lashes, about 3 on each eye, just on the outer corner of the lids. This creates a winged out look and helps to define the eye but in a subtle way.
Nyx Tinted Brow Mascara in Black $7.00- This was brushed over the brows to fill in gaps and give them the bold look form the Chanel show.
FACE
L'Oreal Paris Magic Lumi Primer $12.95- This primer was smoothed over the skin to give the skin a glowing healthy base .
Flower About Face Foundation $13.98-This light weight foundation was buffed into the skin with a domed foundation brush for a natural look.
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Medium $6.99- This was lightly applied just under the eyes where dark circled needed to be concealed and over any small blemishes across the face. Emphasis on lightly when go for a natural foundation look its always best to use a very light weight foundation and then use a concealer that matches your skin tone or maybe one shade lighter and spot conceal and discoloration on the face the foundation did not cover.
NYC Loose Smooth Skin Powder in Naturally Beige $2.99- This was lightly applied just down the center of the face and anywhere you are prone to oiliness, also to set any concealer that was applied. Loose powders tend to give a much more natural look and when applied in targeted areas can look natural.
e.l.f. Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzer Powder in St. Lucia $3.00- The blush from this duo was applied to the apples of the cheeks lightly with a fluffy duo fiber brush to give a bit of color to the cheeks
Milani XL Bronzer in Fake Tan $9.99- The darker cool toned brown color from this bronzer was lightly brushed under the cheekbones to slightly define them.
Milani Baked Bronzer in Glow $6.79- This was also lightly applied to the tops of the cheekbones with a fan brush to create a dewy glowing look
LIPS
Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Stellar $3.49- This was applied in one layer to the lips being careful to apply precisely to the lip line, then blotted with a tissue, applied again in one layer and blotted one last time for long lasting and full on lip color.

I hope you enjoyed this recreation of Kendall Jenner's look from Chanel's 2015 Spring Runway. I had a really great time creating it and I think it turned out super similar. I think fresh dewy skin and bright lip are the way to go for spring so don't be afraid to experiment with some different lip colors to find the shade that works best for you!

Black and White Tuxedo Jacket

Spring time has been here for a while and I know what you are thinking. "Javier spring is here and I still want to give Dynasty's Alexis Carrington 80's realness but I'm not sure how to rock a blazer in spring."

Midi skirt is the new pencil skirt

The midi skirt has been getting a lot more love by both high end designers and fast fashion retailers lately. With good reason too, I really love how they create shape and I think they can be much more versatile than people give them credit for. They look great dressed up with silky blouse for something more formal but also look great with a sweater or t-shirt tucked into them! I found two great examples of midi skirts that I think would be a great addition to your wardrobe, and like always one is very expensive and the other a bit more reasonable. The first skirt is this Alice+Olivia black skirt with organza sheer panels. 

Alice+Olivia Sheer Panel Midi-$420

I love the shape the pleating creates and the sexy detail of the sheer panel. I think its a great twist on a such a classic piece. I also love the way the merchandiser styled it, I love the juxtaposition of the super feminine skirt with the motorcycle jacket. This skirt comes with a high price tag however at $420! As soon as I saw this skirt I remembered one VERY similar to this one from my time working at Express over the summer. Knowing they tend to bring things back each season, after a quick search on their website sure enough I found this.

Express Sheer Panel Midi-$80

The skirts are both so similar, both have the sheer organza panels and have pretty much the same length. The pleating on the Express on is a bit thicker but it creates a very similar shape. I love the way the merchandiser styles this piece for Express as well, I think it looks great with the striped sweater, it gives a much more effortless feel and tones down the dressiness of it. I think that they look so similar that if worn people would have trouble telling them apart. I was so obsessed with this skirt when it came in over the summer that I bought it for my sister and her wear it on my birthday dinner. I tend to live vicariously through my sister and any fabulous girl clothing I wish I could rock I always end up buying for her and forcing her to wear it. She is sort of like my life sized barbie doll in that respect. Here is a picture of us on my birthday so you can see how I styled it on her.

She wore it with a black turtle neck cropped top and pink pumps for a pop of color and I think the outfit looked great! Next time you are our shopping don't pass up the midi skirt as an option to wear for your next formal event or even a casual lunch date. Take a pass on the boring pencil skirt that everyone has a bunch of anyway!

 

Changing Man Kind One Jogger at a Time

Throughout history many important things have been invented, the wheel, antibiotics, the internet. This blog post though will be about something that surpasses all these inventions....the jogger pant. Yes, I am being serious, I LOVE joggers. I think the biggest reason is that depending on where you work and what material you get (stick to wool, or chino like fabrics) you could get away with wearing them as business casual but still have AN ELASTIC WAISTBAND. I had to face the harsh reality that the holidays as well as eating pizza in bed and watching Netflix all day had taken a toll an a girls figure. So what I love is that it makes me look somewhat put together and no one even knows I'm having a fat day/week/month/life whatever. So on to my fabulous finds! I was scouring the net for joggers and came across these Marc Jacobs suiting joggers. They are beautiful.

Marc Jacobs Sable Suiting Jogger-$630

I mean come on, I love the fit they are slim against the leg and are fitted around the ankle, also the deep navy color is great because it can be work with so much! When I saw them I convinced myself I needed them. However contrary to popular belief I am actually not a real housewife and thus cannot afford $630 dollar Marc Jacobs pants. Good thing for me I had to stop by a J-crew store for a class project and of course could not resist shopping around. I walked past these joggers and my jaw dropped.

J.Crew Jogger Pant- $75

They look so similar to the Marc Jacobs ones! When I tried them on I loved the way they fit on me too. They were a bit shorter which is great for me because I always find pants that  come in a standard inseam are always way too long for me. They hit me at right about the ankle which is how I wear most of my pants. These don't have the elastic waistband like most of my other joggers do but they are still super comfortable and it makes them dressy enough that I can get away with wearing them in the office. The best part is that they are only $75, and I of course used the student discount J-Crew offers so I got them for about $56. Well now my secrets out, if you see me wearing joggers you know whats happening that day. Trust me though once you experience the wonders of these pants along with looking pretty darn chic you will be jumping on the bandwagon.