Smashion - My Store & a Review

Hey all!  This weekend I started a very long process of cleaning out all my closets (yes, multiple - don't bring that up with the hubs).  I just have too much stuff.  It's time to minimize.  And let's face it, some of my clothes (that I still love so much) just don't fit right anymore.  So with a little help from Smashion, a sponsor of Chasing Davies, I am hoping to find them a new home.  You can check out my store here.

First, have you heard of Smashion?  It's like Ebay, but dedicated to fashion (clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc).  It feels a little more personal than Ebay and has a great community.  You may recall the interview they did on me a bit ago, and also have tons of other blogger interviews.  They also have a style section that people can post their looks to and browse other's.  So it's not just a shopping and selling site - but a whole fashionable experience!

As a seller, it's really easy to create your own store and upload you items.  As a buyer/shopper, you can shop the market by type of item, by sellers, by editor picks, by popular tags, by price and by date.  My only complaint is that you can't sort by size or brand (that I know of).

So check out my store on Smashion to see if there is anything that could make your closet happy!  And keep checking back for more - I've not even made a dent into my closet clean out.

The Radleys: Entertaining Book Review {for even the non-reader}

Hi Friends!! I have something special for you!  A brilliant, beautiful and overall amazing very good friend of mine will be providing some great book reviews (& commentary) for you all!  Great  timing, too, as summer time is more of a book reading time for me.  Is that for you all?  I love reading outside in the sun - whether at the pool, on vacation, in my backyard or even after a long day in the sun, back in the a/c of my house!  Enjoy the first review!

Dear Meggy,

Hi lady! How’s the fabulous KC treating you? I know you’ve been traveling a lot so I thought I’d drop you a line about a perfect book for your next voyage….

I know you <3 teenage vampires as much as the next ten-to-twentysomething-year-old-girl, but I think we all agree that a) half vampire/half human babies are fuh-ree-key and b) sometimes less yearning is more…hence I bring you The Radleys by Matt Haig.

Yeah yeah, I know…since Bram Stoker the whole blood sucking motif has been a bit overplayed…but there is something undeniably seductive about relinquishing control to have the life drained out of you by a dreamy (sometimes sparkly) vamp. Throw in a pinch of bildungsroman and a dash of secrets-your-parents-never-told-you, and you have The Radleys.

Here is an excerpt from the cover:

Just about everyone knows a family like the Radleys. Many of us grew up next door to one. They are a modern family, averagely content, averagely dysfunctional, living in a staid and quiet suburban English town. Peter is an overworked doctor whose wife, Helen, has become increasingly remote and uncommunicative. Rowan, their teenage son, is being bullied at school, and their anemic daughter, Clara, has recently become a vegan. They are typical, that is, save for one devastating exception: Peter and Helen are vampires and have – for seventeen years – been abstaining by choice from a life of chasing blood in the hope that their children could leave normal lives.

Haig, through simple yet devastating prose, tells his story from the perspective of each family member – plus a few of the characters they meet along the way. This device is a great tool for grasping the implications of history on the immediate future, and creates a book that has a wide appeal to many readers.

I thoroughly enjoyed this modern, fresh take on the vampire genre, and I think you will too. And because I know you of all people will appreciate this, here is my suggestion for a “Reading a Book About Vampires” outfit:

And a Radley look for less:

Next Review: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - yay!

Your Friend, Fflow

OMG, I love her.  Can't you just see me laying around my house reading The Radley's in one of these outfits?  I can. :) I hope you all LOVE this review, book reading outfit (hee hee) and just Fflow's great writing as much as I do!

Hiding From Winter {in my new winter coat}

We got our first snow of the season this past weekend, not a lot, but the cold weather and icy wind accompanied it.  So, brrrrrr, is all I have to say!  Thankfully, I had received my new super duper warm coat last week and am all cuddled up.

My North Face down coat is great, but hits just below the hip and my bum gets cold!  So I was on the look for one that went to my knees.  At first I was looking at North Face, but then I found this one and boy is it warm and cute!  Love the faux-fur hood, and the hood is removable.  It's Calvin Klein, and I got it at Macy's with an extra coupon for having a credit card there.  So not a bad deal for a warm, long coat!

Don't I look warm!?!  It is. 

Beauty Review: Clinique Redness Solution Makeup

I have blotchy skin with red undertones.  It's especially sensitive in the winter...most make up I apply just makes it itchy and even redder!  So I saw ads in all the latest magazines for Clinique's new redness solutions line and I was excited to try it!

This does not just do a great job of covering up blotchy skin without looking cakey - but it actually works to even out skin tone (without wearing make up!).

Just a small amount blends over my whole face - acting a little like lotion, a little like foundation and even a little sun protection. I wear this daily now and it'll be my go-to "foundation" or base make up from now on.

Have you tried this stuff?  What is your go-to make-up finds?

The Sequin Dress Update (Reviews)

Remember a few weeks ago, I had a sequin dress post with some great options, one of which I ordered for myself...another I tried on later.  Both failed.  But found another one, and love it.  So here are some sequin dress updates if you are in search for one yourself!

Ordered Jessica Simpson's Collection Sequin Dress:

Review:  No.  Yuck.  I didn't even take a picture of me in it (sorry).  I received it at work, immediately ran to the bathroom to try it on (I had such high hopes) and then took it right off and sent it back that very day.

The Bad: The fit. This dress will best fit someone stick skinny that needs major curve help.  The skirt part of the dress skimmed the side of my hips, which was fine, but then it pooched out over my stomach making (under the seam) and pooched behind, over my butt.  If you look at this model, you can kind of see what I'm talking about.  So put that on a curvier person and not a model, it could be very iffy.

The Okay: The top was fitted and actually nice looking, but it hurt my under arms when they touched the side of the dress.  Those sequins can be sharp!  The dress is TTS fit, but cut is very limited to certain body shapes.


Then I tried there two gold dresses on at Macy's, both by INC:

Review: They are very similar.  One is 2 inches longer and V-neck (the left one), while the other is scoop neck and has a chiffon lining that peeks out of the edges of the dress (the right one). Both look a bit cheapity in person...

The Bad: Looks cheap-ish in person, and then I put it on and it looked even worse!  They are both pretty short for such gold bling and tight fit and the color was just not right.  I looked a bit hookerish.  Definitely not ok for my work party! :)

The Okay: The neck lines were nice.  Not to plunging, but flattering.

So after the 3 fails, I was feeling that a sequin dress in my budget range ($80-$150) was not going to cut it.  I was sad and deflated.

BUT THEN...I found a navy dress with black sequins, cap sleeves and chiffon peeking out from the edges by the same INC brand those horrible gold dresses are from.  I tried it on and LOVED it.  I don't know if it's new or old (though it wasn't on sale), but I haven't found it online.  I got it from my area Macy's store.

Pardon the horrible photo quality - I was in a dressing room with only my phone to capture it.

Review: Not itchy, smoother fit and not soo tight. It clinches in a little at the waist and has a slight A-line which is what I need for my hips.  It's a little shorter than I'd like, but the modest top and pair with tights and I think it is ok.  I could also get a chiffon slip that hung out an inch or so to lengthen the look of this dress.

I am wearing this dress this week for my work holiday party and will post a new photo of how I style it up and all complete next week!  Happy Sequin Shopping.

Shoe(s) of the Day: Target Boot Reviews

After last year's big Target boot hit, I was wondering how this year's collection of boots would be.  I finally got to Target to try some on and snap a few IRL pics...

Mossimo Supply Co. Kachiri Leather Americana Boots:

 For $50, these are bit on the more pricey side for Target... but the material (they say leather) looks pretty good and the color is a pretty greyish-taupe.  Here they are on me:

The only thing I didn't like was how loose the ankle part was and thin the actual boot shaft is.  You can see how wrinkly the combo of this makes the boots when on.

Size - I find that all Target boots run a bit small.  I'd go up at least a half size and I actually went up a full size.

On the up side, besides what I already have mentioned - they fit even bigger calves ( like mine)!

Other cute boots I saw...

 Mossimo Supply Co. Kaden Tall Buckle Boots in Tan - These are cute and I love the Red zipper up the back.  They only had small sizes left in my Target store, so I wasn't able to try them on.

The top buckle around the opening of teh boot allows you to customize the opening to fit small to bigger calve sizes!

 

These are the same boots in the above, but in black with no red zipper.

I don't usually like cheaper boots in black, because I think it is easier to see that they are of lesser quality and look cheap.

I have enough boots, so not int he market for any of these, but if I were, I'd get the first pair!  

Do you have any of this season's Target's boots?

Victoria Secret's Wrap Sweater Review

Update: Look for the Victoria's Secret How-To Wear guide at the bottom of this post!

I've been eying Victoria's Secret's cotton-cashmere wrap sweater for the past year - thinking how comfy and fun all the variety of ways you could wear it looked.  So, as a small birthday gift to myself, I bit the bullet (thanks to VS $10 bday discount as a helpful nudge) a couple of weeks ago and got it.

I got the Lingdonberry Heather color, that looks a little more pink than purple-pink in real life (but still cute):

The sweater comes with a helpful little sheet on all the ways you can wear this thing, and diagrams.  I wore mine the simple way - hanging down with a belt:

 Pinkish - purple sweater, orange/coral belt and Urban Outfitter heels with Gap Skinny Jeans.

I like this way, too:

For the sale price of $39 (as of right now), and the variety of colors you can get, this soft sweat wrap is definitely worth it for the cooler months ahead!  The cotton-cashmere blend is soft and cozy.

Here is the how-to guide that Victoria's Secret sent me for styling the Wrap Sweater:

Mascara Deluxe Sampler Review (Part 4, of 10)

Sephora's Deluxe Mascara Sampler consists of 10 high-end designer mascaras.  My favorite beauty products is mascara, that and concealer (but that's out of necessity), so when I saw this sample pack - I began that path to use and review these trial sizes.

The first 3 reviews:

Hourglass Superficial Lash Mascara

Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara

Korres Abyssinia Oil Volumizing and Strengthening Mascara

And on to sample 4:

Benefit A Little Bit BADGal Lash Mascara

What Sephora has to say: a little bit of BADgal lash for the girl on the go. Even though it's little, it carries a big BADgal punch.

My review:

Pros - Lashes look long.  The mascara really builds off itself extending your lash length.  The consistency is a bit drier, so not smudging or smearing.

Cons - The brush is really big, making it hard to get the corners and shorter lashes.

Reader's Left - mascara applied; right side - plain lashes

BADgal mascara on both lashes - see length here

Reader's left - L'Oreal Voluminizing Mascara layered over BADgal - You can see how it just adds a bit more umph!

Couple swipes of BADgal mascara and then a slow application of L'Oreal

What is your favorite mascara right now?

Always & Forever Skinny (the Jeans, Not me)

Have you all checked out Gap lately?  I fell for some of their 1969 jeans that come in many different cuts and styles.  After trying on about 9 different kinds, I ended up with walking away with two pairs: Skinny and Curvy - hah!!  Talk about an oximoron... 

Anyways, for all you curvy and non-curvy girls alike, check out Gap's Always & Forever Skinny Jeans.  I ended up with the Forever Skinny jeans - as that rise is a bit higher than the Always Skinnies and worked better for my bum. They are now my favorite skinny jeans I've tried on to-date! They conform to your body to fit you.  Definitely worth a try on.

Here the Forever Skinny Jeans are on me (in saturated dark wash):

Then I layered on my boots and a cardi to complete the outfit:

With my new Gap Skinny Jeans, J.Crew Yellow Cardi, Forever 21 lace tank and J.Crew (via Ebay) bubble necklace.

Have been addicted to these jeans since I got them, so will be showing how I am wearing them with different footwear and such over the next week.

Mascara Deluxe Sampler Review (Part 3, of 10)

Back to the mascara review (see first two here), after the using the first few trials in Sephora's Deluxe Mascara Sampler to fruition (no matter how much I liked it, I wanted to use it all), I'm on to review sample 3:

Korres Abyssinia Oil Volumizing and Strengthening Mascara

Here's what Sephora said about Korres Mascara: Enriched with Abyssinia oil, a conditioning botanical that builds volume and length for lush, gorgeous, natural-looking lashes you will love.

My review:  

Pros - the mascara lengthens and makes for natural looking lashes.  A good base layer! They also felt soft, and no flakes!

Cons - mascara color is not dark enough.  I like dark black mascara!  No thickening on my lashes.

The Photos:

Reader left - mascara, right - naked lashes

Both eyes have a couple layers each. Lashes are long, yet natural looking.  I used this mascara as a base before adding on my (still) favorite, drug-store brand: L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen

Added L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen to both set of lashes. Lashes are a little darker, little thicker.

Overall I really liked the Korres Abyssinia Oil Volatilizing Mascara - I would definitely get this again to use as my base layer or bumming around (times I don't need the full-effect lashes).

Have any of you tried this kind of mascara, or this sampler pack?  What is your favorite mascara?

Surfer Casual & Blue Sandal Review

Feeling low key and relaxed, all I really wanted to wear were my new blue sandals.

I got these sandals last week after finding them in my size on Amazon.  They were only $18 and I love them...but they hurt my feet. :(

The back rubbed the my heal and thankfully my work keeps stock of band aids.  That helped that.  To put the shoe on, you pull apart the slightly stretchy fabric (no zipper or buckles).  Looks cool, but dug into my ankles a bit.  You can kind of see evidence of this in the above pic.  I will give the shoes another try, because sometimes it takes a bit to get your feet use to something...but these will not be any new go-to sandals and more on certain occasions (when I need blue shoes).

My outfit deets:

Dress - Target

Cardi - J.Crew

Shoes - ZiGiny Majesty

Spin Pin = Perfect Bad Hair Day Remedy

Yep, and that's a bold statement from me, because I often have bad hair days.  So if two little twisted pieces of metal can turn my ratty hair into a smooth up-do in 5 minutes, I'm gonna tell you about it.  Because that is one awesome time saver.

The twisted pieces of metal:

Goody's Spin Pins

The Ratty Hair:

I have multiple fly-aways at my hair line around my forehead, so when I don't feel like whipping out the hot iron to smooth them down, I French braid my hair back from the hair line and here, pulled it all into a high pony.  

Enter Spin Pin:

Wrapped the hair around the base of the pony tail/holder (twisting while wrapping).  Then take one spin pin and twist it into the bun from the bottom, the the other pin from the top.  You might feel them hit each other inside the bun, but that's ok - they just twist together.  

5 minutes or less. Done.

Long Beach Dress, Thanks to Gigi!

This post is a bit delayed due to my Remix Challenge and then waiting to wear this dress on Vacation...but without further ado, a HUGE thank you to Gigi!  Why you wonder?

A month or so ago, I hit up Kohl's and got a few great finds, but left longing for one dress that I couldn't find in my right size and not available online...

So Miss Gigi emailed me and let me know she found this dress at a store near her!  She didn't just go out of her way to get it for me, but used a coupon to get an extra discount and then shipped it to me.  I was so excited to wear this dress and so I saved it for my vacation.  I wore it and I love it. 

And then I wore it right after vacay to the office over my J.Crew stripe T:

 This dress is so comfy.  Did you notice it has pockets?! Oh, and the zipper is red, not white as shown in the display photo from Kohl's. Thank you so much, Gigi!!!