Hair Care Routine

I am not one of those people that can wake up and brush through their silky smooth hair without adding any product first and go about their day.  I have semi-curly hair so it is an absolute frizz ball in the morning once I've brushed it, which is not pleasant.  However, I've had to learn how to deal with frizzy hair over the past few years and am definitely able to control it, while keeping my hair healthy.

Here are the steps I use almost every day to achieve silky, soft hair.

Step 1: I like to shower the night before doing my hair in the morning.  Experiment with different shampoo and conditioner until you have found the right match for you.  Everyone's hair needs something different.  I use the Moroccan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner about every other day.

Step 2: When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is deal with my hair before makeup or choosing an outfit.  I brush through all of my hair with my Conair Brush.  At this point my hair becomes very frizzy, but it is okay because I control it.

Step 3:  If this is my second day hair (meaning I didn't shampoo or conditioner the night before) I use the Batiste Dry Shampoo just to freshen up my hair incase it starts to get greasy.

Step 4:  I usually straighten my hair so before that I spray it with the Nexxus Heat Protecting Mist.  This is a life saver because it protects your hair from split ends and dullness.

Step 5: Finally, I straighten it.  Generally I straighten it in three sections (lower, middle, and top) to get the best results, but some days I'll just straighten it in a pony tail or run through it for more wavy hair.  I use this straightener.

NOTE:  The days I don't straighten my hair, I shampoo and condition in the morning before school.  That way when I get out of the shower I apply the Aussie Sprunch Mousse which adds curls and texture to your hair.

Most of these products can be found at CVS and I linked them to ULTA.  The dry shampoo can be found in Urban Outfitters, but not CVS.

xoxo

emma

{ps click here for my previous blog}

Shopping in SoHo

Day 2 in NYC

I started my morning with breakfast at a small diner I found on my way into the West Village.  I had chocolate chip pancakes (my favorite breakfast food!) and some home fries.  In the West Village I poked around some boutiques with my friend and our parents.  All I bought there was a bath bomb, which I'm really excited to try out because I heard they're awesome.  Once we finally made our way into SoHo, my friend and I checked out Dash, TopShop, Madewell, Urban Outfitters (on the way), and American Apparel.  After the shopping we grabbed lunch at the Chelsea Market and headed back to the hotel.

I wore cuffed skinny jeans with a grey turtle neck.  I've been loving turtle necks, and although it is almost April, I had to buy this one for New York, which is still pretty cold.  The turtle neck kept me warm and comfortable, while making a fashion statement paired with my silver necklace from TopShop.

dsw shoes | american eagle jeans | topshop shirt | topshop necklace | longchamp bag

xoxo

emma

{ps click here for my previous post}

Welcome to New York

I left school today around 12:30 to take on the three hour car ride to Connecticut and an hour train ride to Grand Central Station, finally to arrive in New York City.  My friend Maeve and I are in NYC this weekend with our moms for a girl's trip.  We got here around 5:30 then walked around and got dinner.  We went to this amazing Mediterranean Restaurant, Barbounia, and I got a fresh greek salad and falafel.

My outfit for day 1 in NYC was a shift dress I recently bought from Tilly's and a long cardigan from Brandy Melville.  I wore my tall riding boots so I wouldn't have to squeeze them into my suitcase (that is my #1 packing tip: wear your biggest shoes!).  Take a look at my outfit:

I recently got acrylic nails because I bite my nails and they look horrible.  I love the acrylics though!  I asked for them short and rounded, and couldn't be happier with the results.

 Tilly's Dress | Brandy Melville Cardigan | Nine West Boots | Tilly's Ring | Nail Polish (Essie: Fiji)

xoxo

emma

{ps check out my previous blog here}

Spring 2015 Accessory Wish List

Ah spring, my favorite season of all.  There is nothing I like more than buying new clothes for Spring and Summer, but in buying new clothes, comes purchasing new accessories.  I love bright colors and pastels for the season; however, I never hesitate in buying neutral staple outfit pieces in black, nude, or brown.  Here are 8 accessories I'm currently dying over.

Accessories can get really expensive, especially from brands like Kate Spade, J Crew, Bauble Bar, and RayBan, but there is a way around paying extraordinarily high prices.  The website WestEgg offers 106 brands with their products discounted up to 80% off.  They offer a wide variety of jewelry, wallets, clutches, watches, scarves, etc for women; and many products for men as well if you're looking to buy a gift for a male.  If you use this discount code you can enjoy 10% off the already discounted designer and non-designer brands on WestEgg.

Code: 'wearwestegg'

Now onto my favorite accessories from the website:

1.  Burberry Chambray Scarf  This is an awesome staple scarf for those chilly Spring days in early April or Summer nights out when it can get a little chilly.  This scarf is a bit lighter than the classic burberry scarf and a bit less noted,  so you can start the new trend!

2. RayBans  I love these sunglasses so much it is probably unhealthy.  RayBans are really good at protecting your eyes from the sun or just straight up making you look fashionable.  They can be expensive, but last a long time.  Click the link for a discounted pair of RayBan sunglasses.

3. Kate Spade Earrings  If these earrings don't scream spring, I do not know what does.  The colors in these work so well together and would be great to spice up a simple outfit.

4.  Kate Spade Watch  I am in desperate need of a watch to go with almost any outfit, and I think this is the one.  I love the blush colored pink strap along with the rose gold frame.

5. RJ Graziano Box Necklace  I like the fact that this necklace has a lot of color, but it isn't super bright like most of my colorful accessories.  This piece is really different and I think it would make a great statement necklace.

6.  Bauble Bar Bracelet  This bracelet is more on the hipster/ flower child style side, and I absolutely love it.  The royal blue paired with the gold makes an awesome combination.

7. Nordstrom BP Bow Crossbody Bag  This bag doesn't have all of the bright spring colors like the other items on the list, but you cannot get enough black accessories for any season as they go with anything, and this bag is really cute.

8.  J Crew Leather Clutch  Anything nude is adorable to me.  This clutch is to die for and I will probably be purchasing it pretty soon.  Paired with nude flats it would look so cute.

xoxo

Emma

{ps click here for my previous blog post}

Closet Transformation

Every March I go through a huge Spring cleaning phase, and it gets pretty intense.  This year I started with reorganizing my clothes as I keep my clothes in three different places: my closet, dresser, and a bin for my exercise stuff.  However, everything was a mess and I never knew what was wear, which is not the best for when you're in a hurry.  Today I'm just going to talk about 1/3 of this project (the biggest part), tackling my closet.

Unfortunately, I didn't get an original picture of my closet, but it was a nightmare.  There were paint buckets on the ground, clothes that had fallen all over, the top shelf was filled with junk, etc...  I sorted all of that into the correct spot and that left my closet looking like this.  Still pretty bad.

(Before)

(After)

Here is step by step how I transformed my closet.

*I keep the clothes that need to be hung up in my closet, my pants are separate besides flowy ones 

1. First I rearranged the order of my clothes in the closet.  Before I had no method in where each item went, but now I went through and organized it by (starting from the left): Jackets, sweaters, long sleeves, short sleeves, long tank tops, crop tops, shoe divider, shorts, skirts, maxi skirts, pants, casual dresses, then formal dresses.  This makes the whole look flow better and it will be much easier to find the article of clothing I am looking for.

2.  I put in a rug to cover a stain on the ground and it actually just makes the entire closet look a lot nicer.

3.  I also reorganized my shoe hanger.  I keep my favorite sandals and wedges in there along with flats and a pair of converse.  My tall boots, bean boots, etc. I keep down stairs because I'm wearing them a lot right now through the end of winter.

I put in this been at the bottom to hold my beach bags as well as some random things I never wear, but want to keep (mainly my onesie pajamas).

 4. (from the right) The first red bin holds my bathing suits and is kind of over flowing... The next red bin has my wristlets, wallets, and some smaller cross body bags.  Then i have my favorite hat sitting up there, and finally the brow bin has 2 sweatshirts because the hooks for sweatshirts in my bedroom are full.

5.  If you can see on the end, I hung the two full size purses I own (I rarely use them)

I'm obsessed with the final look and feel way more organized.  Clean closet clear mind.

xoxo

Emma

{ps click here to see my previous blog)

NYC top five

I am going to New York City in about a week with two of my friends for a girl's weekend.  We are staying for 2 nights/ 3 days and I cannot wait to hang out with them and explore the city.  NYC is one of my favorite places in the world, here are 5 of my favorite things to do there:

Shopping

This one is kind of obvious considering I have a fashion blog.  I've been saving up to do some serious shopping in New York for spring/ summer clothing.  Soho is probably the best place for teens to shop since they have big name brands like H&M, the Kardashian's store DASH, as well as smaller boutiques.  Another place to check out is Madison Ave, although this is probably the most expensive area, you can check out the fancy stores and see the beautiful architecture.











Walk the High Line

One of the newer things to do in New York City,  the High Line is a 1.5 mile walk along an elevated section of the West Side.  It is kind of like a park floating in the air and is great for taking pictures, having a coffee, or just moving around and taking a walk across.

Take on Time's Square

Personally I think going to Time's Square is best accomplished at night when everything is lit up and exciting.  It has some great people watching, along with some shops to check out.  The M&M store is a must, although it can get really crowded.  Also check out the Toys R Us nearby because even if you're a teen, that place is insane.






See a Broadway Show

It is nice to have an event to get more dressed up for and a Broadway Show makes for the perfect evening.  But, you do have to find the right show because some end up really boring.  Check out the Lion King, Wicked, or Annie, as those three are my personal favorites.









Sightsee

Whenever I go to NYC I try to pick at least one tourist attraction to check out.  The Rockefeller Center and Empire State Building are two of my favorites, but don't forget about The Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, or Statin Island Ferry.  I love taking pictures at these monuments (can you even call these places monuments...I don't know) and looking back on them later because they make such good memories.

xoxo

Emma

{ps click here to see my previous blog post}

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

 I used my green phone case today to show my holiday spirit, which was less than $2 on Amazon.

Happy Saint Patty's Day!  My family does not really celebrate this holiday, other than my mom cooking an all green dinner (which consists of every green fruit and vegetable, pasta with pesto sauce, and green jello for dessert).  But, I do like to wear some green, nothing crazy though.  It rained so I stole my sister's black hunters for the day and wore a cozy grey sweater.  The only green I wore was on my tank top.  I realized I don't have any green, probably because green makes me look like a leprechaun with my red hair!

Shirt | Sweater | Skirt | Rain Boots | Necklace

xoxo

Emma

{ps click here for my previous blogpost}

Books Blog

Who doesn't love finding a book that you cannot put down when you are reading?  These are some recent books I have read which I absolutely love and I kept thinking about them far after I had finished the book.

1.  The Little Chinese Seamstress {This book takes place in China and is about two boys who fall in love with the same girl.  It takes place during the Chinese Cultural Revolution so it is a bit historical, but the love story that goes on during it is adorable}

2.  Looking For Alaska {If you read The Fault in Our Stars, this is another John Green novel, but this one is ten times better.  I love this one.  It is mysterious, heartbreaking, and all around amazing.  This is my favorite book of all time.  I totally recommend this for teen girls}

3. #16 things i thought were true {I read this book while I was on vacation and relaxing on the beach.  It is about a summer romance and a long road trip.  The characters are each so different and intriguing.  While reading this book I laughed out loud so many times}

4.  Girl In Translation {This novel was actually my summer reading book last summer and everyone weirdly ended up loving it.  I literally could not put this book down and when my friends would hang out we would all discuss this book...and we aren't even nerds...thats how good of a book it is}

5.  Night {This was another book I had to read for school.  It is much more serious than the other teen books I previously talked about.  It takes place during the Holocaust and is about a 16 year old boy trying to survive with his dad in a concentration camp.  It made me cry a lot because it's really sad seeing what happens to him and his father's relationship throughout and the effects of the Holocaust}

6.  How I Lost You {LOVE this book.  This is another summer novel for then girls about two best friends growing apart.  One is really into partying and guys and the other is a total jock trying to make it in the art of paint balling.  I really liked this read and it connects well to some parts of every girl's life}

xoxo

Emma

{ps click here for my previous blog post}

Tank Top and Toms

It has been so nice recently in New England, the weather yesterday almost hit 6o degrees!  However, there is still a lot of snow on the ground so planning outfits is a challenge.  I've been trying to wear some of my spring clothes, especially in the post I' sharing today.  Since we are in between hot and cold weather, here are some of my favorite ways to pull together an outfit.  First, I wear my new summer tank tops with sweaters.  Just a light, half sleeve sweater compliments a tank top when it isn't quite the right weather yet for sleeveless shirts.  Second, I started to put away my boots and wear toms, converse, and flats.  I love my bright red toms because they add such a bright pop of color which reminds me of summer.

You can tell it's spring because the sun is shining, but look at the gross snow on the side of the streets!

Shirt | Jeans | Shoes | Ring

xoxo

Emma

{ps click here for my previous blog}

Style Icon: Nina Dobrev

If there is one person I always look for on the red carpet, it is Nina Dobrev.  Her red carpet style is always flawless and her dresses are amazing.  Most celebrities have their good and bad days at award shows, but I feel like Nina always turns it on and has her hair, makeup, and outfit on point.  Here are a few of my favorite looks from her:

 I love this look because it is so elegant and classy.  Obsessing over the slit that goes through the middle of the dress and her little clutch.

This is not a classic Nina look; however, I do think it is awesome and so bold.  Not everyone could pull this off, but she owns it.

 This is one of my favorite short dresses of hers, I like how the dress pairs perfectly with the gold heels she is wearing.

 This is probably the dress Nina is most known for.  I can't disagree with the people and do think this is her most outstanding long red carpet dress.  The fit is so flattering and everything goes together.

I hadn't seen this dress until I began looking up pictures of Nina for this post, and I fell in love.  The back is just...ugh no words for how much I love it.  The neck is really cool too and this has to be my favorite shorter dress of hers.

I hope you liked this style icon (red carpet edition) post.  If you have a celebrity suggestion for next months style icon, leave a comment below!

xoxo

Emma

{ps click here to see my previous blog post}

{click here to see my previous style icon post}

Spring Craving

After the time change the other day, it has been staying sunny out past 6 o'clock and I am loving it.  The snow has finally ceased in New England and Spring is approaching at last.  I am beyond excited for Spring/Summer fashion and cannot wait to take out my shorts, tank tops, and especially sandals.   In 3 weeks I am going to New York with two of my friends so will get to do some shopping there for my summer wardrobe as well as taking some NYC blog pictures.

Today I wore my new kimono from Tilly's which arrived at my house 3 days ago.  I ordered a ton of summer stuff from Tilly's and I honestly think they have some of the best quality clothes and it is really reliable to buy online from there.  The kimono is perfect along with the rings and necklaces I ordered from there.

   

 I love these rings from Tilly's!

Kimono | Jeans | Ring One | Ring Two | Boots | Necklace

xoxo 

Emma

{p.s. check out my previous blog, click here}