No Denim challenge: Day 3 (OOTD)

So today I am sharing with you my outfit…day 3 in the no denim challenge…this is honestly harder than I thought. I always reach out for my denim and then I remember I’m on a one week denim ban. Today’s outfit is pretty chill, as we were invited  to the in laws for dinner…so I didn’t want to be too restricted in what I was wearing because I would obviously help set and clear the table. Therefore, I did not want something super fancy or too dressed-up…and this is what I ended up wearing.

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WHAT I AM WEARING:

SUNGLASSES: Kate Spade ⊕ SHIRT: Vintage ⊕ BELT: Vintage ⊕ PANTS: House of Harlow ⊕ SHOES: Jessica Simpson

I got these House of Harlow pants in a sample sale once. That was the beauty in working in the fashion industry, you get to be invited to many sample sales and you get to buy clothes for a cheap as 1 or 2$ a piece. Like this is insane! And then you find them in stores  for like 75% more than the actual production price…consumerism, ahh!! Such a touchy subject. Anyway, back to the blog, I bought them because they’re so freaking light! Like seriously, I wish y’all can feel how light and soft they feel. It almost feels like wearing nothing. It was perfect for the hot weather.

I decided to pair it with my favorite mustard vintage shirt I bought a while ago from the Nova thrift shop in Hudson. I added a vintage black leather belt I also got from Nova to add a little but of dimension in the outfit as I didn’t want it to be completely bluh and bland. I love this belt  because it’s just soft leather and you can easily make it either wide or thin by rushing it and tightening it around the buckle. And, also, it’s black, so it’s a great piece to have in your wardrobe as it can easily be mixed and matched with other outfits.

I then wore my Jessica Simpson clog sandals that I got last summer…they’re still going strong. They’re leather, so I know they will last me a very long time if I continue to take care of them…for me, items like this are considered investment pieces because I know I can wear them with anything and over a long period of time.

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I added the red for a pop of color…these I love these colors combined together. They make me very happy. Mustard is a pretty weird color to fall in love with, but I am a mustard girl!

For day 3, my no denim challenge game is pretty awesome. Chill outfits make me happy and being stylish and comfortable all at once is always a home run!

 

 

No Denim challenge: Day 2 (OOTD)

Okay so maybe I am cheating a little today…since it’s a party and there’s no way I would wear denim to a party…so I am logging this day in my challenge no denim week and showing you my outfit. It’s an outfit I am super proud of!!! Not only was it all on point, but my makeup too! I am really getting good at this highlighting and bronzing thing! I wanted to go all out this time, since it was a wedding shower and we were headed all the way to Bethlehem for a supper. I even wore gold jewellery, fancy, I know! I don’t usually like to accessories a lot but like I said, I just wanted to go ALL out.

Here’s how it came out!

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WHAT I WORE:

SHIRT: Thrifted  ♥ PANTS: Forever 21 ♥ SHOES: Topshop ♥ BAG: Aldo ♥ ACCESSORIES: Gold

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I am super happy I wore pants, I was sick and tired of wearing skirts and dresses and didn’t want to go with another too formal outfit…when I went through my crazy wardrobe, I found these!! I had only worn them twice before…so third time is a charm and this combination is my favorite yet!

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I felt very elegant and put together and these items were super affordable. Working in the fashion industry made me more conscious as to where I put my money and I certainly am not afraid to wear thrifted items or vintage items because I know I am doing good to the planet. Like this shirt for instance…it has to be one of my favorite shirts I own…like seriously! I wear it all the freaking time. I love it mostly for the fit and for the stripped print.

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I can always count on this thrifted shirt to give me style and poise. I can wear it with literally anything! Tucked in or loose,  it looks good either way.

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I got these pants from Forever 21 over the Christmas period for an office party. I love them because they’re not leggings and they fit like looser trousers. They don’t pinch or itch. They’re cropped and so using them for an event works perfect.

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Can we all take a moment and take in how beautiful this bag is. I am so thankful that my sissy got me this as a present. She remembered I fell in love with it while we were shopping at Aldo over the holidays and got me it. Thanks sissy ❤

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I have worn these in many previous blog posts and I still love them as much as when I first got them. They look tragically painful but they’re seriously awesome. I danced in the like a crazy person before and didn’t get hurt. Topshop always make things right, that’s why it’s my go to shop whenever I need good quality items for  fairly reasonable prices.

I am pretty stoked that my outfit came out just as I wanted it to: awesome! Day 2, no denim challenge is a success!

 

 

No Denim challenge: Day 1 (OOTD)

As promised, I am going a whole week without denim and I am going to take the time to document my everyday outfit so show you that there are options to dress up and look nice and feel comfortable without adding denim to your wardrobe. Being a denim addict myself, I am not giving my other clothes a chance to see the light.

So today was date time with the hubs and I..we had a few little errands to run, down in Ramallah city, and so we decided to take the opportunity and spend time together playing bowling, having supper, shopping and the strolling around the city. He works like crazy and only has 1 day weekend and we sometimes do not spend enough time together and so having the little time like today means so much and I always try to make the best of it.

So here’s what I went for today:

I feel in love with this shirt the minute I saw it on the Topshop website. I knew I would have this piece in my wardrobe for a very long time. It’s loose but not too much, which means I can tuck it in my pants if I want…and the good part about this shirt is the print which makes it very versatile to mix and match to different other pieces in my wardrobe. Oranges and yellows aren’t usually colors I go for but this time I dared to go orange because it’s color-blocked. I have said it before and I will say it again, Topshop is always my go to place for good, tailored, stylish and quality shirts…they just know how to make them right.

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I paired my color-blocked shirt with my favorite Forever 21 trouser. They have been in my closet for a good 4ish years and I am super proud that they still look like new. I bought them in the sales section and only paid like a little less than 20$…I wish they would make them again, because the fit is just so freaking fabulous and the fabric is to die for!!! It’s light enough to wear in the summer and the tapered cut is super stylish. I usually like to wear them with tops tucked in…which is what I did today. The grey color is a perfect neutral which makes them easy to wear with pretty much everything you own.

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WHAT I WORE:

SHIRT: Topshop ◊ PANTS: Forever 21 ◊ SHOES: Coverse ◊ SUNNIES: Aldo ◊ BAG: Aldo
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…and since we were going to walk around the city, I needed to be comfortable and this is why I took out these babies out…

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I wore them to death and they’re still going strong! The reason why I love these shoes so much is because they’re leather and not fabric. So they look fancy enough to wear with smart pants! Comfort is totes there and I can always count of my favorite Converse shoes. I am thinking of investing is another pair in a cool color to wear for a pop of color…perhaps a fuchsia or an orange…

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This bag was given to me as a wedding gift…which was weird at the time…but now that I think about it, it was the best gift I received. I have used this bag countless time and I will continue to use it…Aldo gets it right when it comes to down to accessories. I can always count on them for bags!

I say for day 1 without denim…this outfit was a success and I cannot wait to keep playing mix and match with the rest of my items in my wardrobe.

 

Mario Badescu: little powerful magic potion…

So we all know the big stress we go through sometimes before a big event and our skin just goes out of control, then pimples start to surface and throw on a party on your face…it’s the most annoying feeling ever to put foundation over bumpy skin…because you know those little suckers will show up even more with foundation on top. For my wedding, I prepped myself ahead of time and knew that I needed to have one of those in hand. It is seriously magic in a bottle. I used this cream whenever I had bad skin days and woke up with healed, brighter skin.

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Whenever you have a zit or little sucker pimple on the surface just put a little on the spot and leave it overnight and when you wake up, it’s not there anymore! I am just not making this up…the drying cream is literally magic. I know it’s called drying and it does exactly that without actually drying or cracking your skin. It’s a thick cream and a little goes a long way. You can either put this on the spot directly and leave it or you can do like I do and put a very think, even layer all over the face and sleep with it. I use it as an overnight sleeping mask and when I wake up in the morning, my skin is clear and radiant.

I used this the week before my wedding because I was breaking out like crazy from the stress and because I am pmsing and getting closer to my period…sucks but when I got to the wedding day, I woke up with much clearer skin and my makeup applied evenly and I was super pleased with the results. Plus, I have uber sensitive skin, so if this doesn’t damage my skin, then I know it’s worth the investment.

This Drying Cream is made to help shrink the appearance of pimples and small, under-the-surface bumps (it really does help with that!!!!). This unique, magic product is formulated with Sulfur and Zinc Oxide to clarify skin and draw out pore-clogging impurities. It also contains a soothing blend of Aloe Vera, Biotin, Lemon Extract, Lysine, and Vitamins B and E  which all help ensure that skin remains balanced.

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This has been a part of skincare routine for the past year and it is staying there because it acutally does work…and the thing is that you don’t need to use it on a daily basis, you just use it on your bad skin days and it works perfectly fine. I went through 5 or 6 tubs of this over the past year because I was going through some stressful times but now…my current tub has lasted me 3 months and I still have loads left…it runs for 17$ USD for 0.5oz, so the price isn’t bad for something that actually works.

If you are looking for something that will beat the bad break outs without damaging or drying your skin, then you should invest in this little magic potion because it works!

 

Running errands: OOTD

It’s Wednesday and it is also known as running errands day…So when you know you’ve got lots of running to do, you simply cannot compromise comfort…but style, that you can totes keep. I always try to keep that in mind…dressing up is super awesome and fun, so why not dress up when running errands too? So this is how I decided to hit up downtown today…

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This is a pretty simple and comfortable outfit. I feel like I did not sell my style short and I still managed to sprint around town to get things done. I have had these sandals since last summer and it was such an impulse purchase but it was the best purchase. They’re holographic for one! This has become such a trend that it even hot the makeup world. I remember owning a pair of silver holographic booties when I was in high school and they were bomb! I remember dad buying them for me as a travel gift and I hated them when I first saw them, but when I put them on, I never took them off! Wish I can find a photo of them because they were seriously amazing! To make my high school self happy again, I bought these instead, they’re a little more practical but still so fabulous. They’re leather too, so I know they will last me a good amount of time….plus they’re from L’Intervalle;  a Montreal company with made in Spain treasures.

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These jeans I wear all the freaking time!!! I just love them! I got them when I was in a desperate search of the perfect high waisted skinnies and when I saw them on sale a while ago on the Free People website I broke down in a zumba dance…so I decided without even trying them first to invest in a blue pair and a black pair and omggg they fit like a glove and hit you high enough in the right spot just a little above the belly button….good investment…if any of you is looking for a good pair of skinnies, they’re definitely worth the money!

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WHAT I WORE:

SUNGLASSES: Aldo ‡ SCARF: from Turkey ‡ SHIRT: Topshop ‡ JEANS: Free People ‡ BAG: Coach ‡ SHOES: L’intervalle sandals

I could wear outfits like this all the time, since I’m a jeans kinda gal. I am planning to give myself a challenge and try to go a whole week without jeans and will try to document it and share it with you guys…it’s going to be a little hard but I am so up for this challenge.

The sunscreen that saved my life…

Preparing and protecting my skin for the wedding was a must for me and keeping it safe from the sun was my #1 priority. Since doing a chemical peel at the dermatologist a little over 4 years ago, my skin has become very sensitive to sun exposure and the general weather elements, which is kinda annoying as hell because I always have to be aware. Being in the cold too much will dry out my skin till it cracks and being in the sun too much will burn my skin till it’s tight and extremely dry. Either way, I’m screwed. Since I wanted to avoid having skin issues on my wedding day, I decided to invest in a proper skincare regimen a few month prior to that and that required research and making sure that I would not end up having a reaction to the products I used.

Having the right SPF was such a struggle for me because I break out easily to them and for the longest time I did not use them…but since the skin regenerates better when protected from the sun, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and find myself something fantastic. After loads of reading and researching, I came across the Shiseido Future Solution LX SPF 50+ and this has rocked my world. I do not go a day without it! The price is very very steep, at a huge 115$ cad, it comes in as a very high end/expensive product. Since knowing that I could try product at Sephora before committing and having a flexible exchange/return policy, I took the dive and bought it.

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I bought it since April and have been using it on a daily basis including days where there wasn’t much sun peaking through and I have to say that since using it, I have seen improvement in my skin and it’s healing process. Hyper-pigmentation is not much of an issue for me because I protect my skin well. I didn’t want to go for a chemical sunscreen because I prefer physical ones. I feel like my skin doesn’t break out to those. This Shiseido sunscreen is prefect because it is a mix of both. Physicals sunscreens have a mix of both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Therefore, physicals blockers are mineral and they protect the skin from the sun by blocking the sun’s rays. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing the sun’s rays.

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The consistency of this cream is good, I feel like it somehow hydrate my skin. It’s not too thick and it doesn’t leave a white cast after application or have flashback in photos. The skin absorbs this product well and it doesn’t feel greasy at all!

For the price, I would say it’s worth every penny…50ML is a good amount and there’s still so much product left in the tube. Overall, after 4 months of use, I can safely say that is a holy grail product for me and I will definitely repurchase…living in the Middle East requires SPF on a daily basis and this will help my skin stay youthful and happy 🙂 There was no dryness of cracking this summer, so I am totes a happy camper!

 

Les Sahariennes: perfect summer bronzer!

I’m not a huge makeup girl…by all means. I do not like to spend times prepping and primping myself in the AM. I just like to add a little mascara and a colored matte lipstick and this does the trick. But for some reason…I wanted to get on the bronzer train because I knew I was moving to the Middle East and having a glow and bronzy skin would look killer…you know without having to expose myself to the sun too too much. SOooOO, then I came across this bad boy…the Sun-kissed Blur Perfector by Yves Saint  Laurent! OMG!!!! Like this is just so creamy and so amazing. It’s rich, it’s glowy, it’s bronzy and it’s beautiful in the most subtle, natural way. It’s not crazy orange and it does not make you look like David Hasselhoff. A little goes a long long way.

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I just for kick decided to invest in a 55$ bronzer that wasn’t very necessary for me to have., but when I tried it, I knew that it was going to be a long-term relationship. I cannot explain how this makes the skin look..I mean it claims to blur imperfections, to diminish the size of your pores and smooth out the skin…I don’t really see the hiding imperfection part because I do not have many at the moment as my skin is doing great..but it does somehow smooth out the skin. It came with a small and thin contour brush but I didn’t like the grip on it and so I decided to invest in a good brush as well…with is this lovely solid PRO Contour Sweep brush from Sephora. It’s a whooping 43$ but it’s totes worth it in my opinion…only because I bought it when there was the 20% off deal. It’s a brush that I will keep in my collection for a very long time! The bristles are soft but they are packed so tight that they’re firm enough to blend out your cream or powder bronzer to perfection.

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I do have to admit that going to so many weddings this summer gave me a little positive oomph and energy to perfect my makeup application skills and I do have to admit that I came a long way from where I was before. I am now a highlighter whore…omg, what a shame! But it does look freaking awesome with a sexy tan.

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I know that my pan looks grubby and disgusting but as you can see above it is well loved and well used. The sun-kiss blur perfector really does give you a sun-kissed look..as you can see in my little swatch above, it adds just a small hint of bronzed color to my skin and the amazing part of it is that you can go light or heavy on it..so sometimes, I end up contouring with it whenever I sport a turban look and other times, I just add it across my nose and cheeks to give just a hint of bronzed glow. There’s however one small negative comment about this and it is definitely the smell…I have no idea why high end brands love to stuff their products with a tons of old granny/floral-y smells which is quite a turn off really…but I get passed that because the smell doesn’t linger.

Now, do I recommend this? A big yes, if you’re looking to invest in a good creamy bronzer, then do it, buy this and enjoy it..because YOLO! one obviously because it’s a freaking amazing product and well worth it!