Outfit of the Day | 7.29.18

Top: Styles 4 Less
Trousers: 711 Skinny Jeans | Levi's
Sandals: A New Day Remmy Plaid Backless Loafers | Target

I am so late on the backless loafers/mules bandwagon, but you know what? I'll happily ride the last of this wave alone. I picked up a pair on a whim. Most of my shoes are pretty simple and though this particular pair isn't anything to write home about, they're the most trendy in my current collection. I loved them so much, I went back to Target the next day and got another pair in black and recently bought this, also. I may be going overboard.

The Levi's 711 jeans are probably my favorite. I own another pair in a light denim wash. I love them because they are pretty stretchy and the size 27x28 is perfect for this literal shorty.

Unfortunately, I don't know where else you can get the tee that I'm wearing. It was a shirt that I saw hanging by its lonesome at Styles 4 Less and took to the register immediately.

By the way, are we feeling the tucked-in look? I sure am.

Outfit of the Day | 7.14.18

Top: Women's Cotton Box-Cut Pocket Tee | Everlane
Trousers: Paperbag Waist Pants | Zara (similar)
Sandals: Gwenna | Aldo

This day's outfit was brought to you by the letter "L."

L for lazy, that is. I know that I don't already throw in crazy pieces when I put together an outfit, but I was so tired that morning. I needed something quick, but still had to look put-together. The Everlane tee was so comfortable and soft that I wish I could have one for every single day of the week. But it's $16 a pop and mami ain't rolling in dough just yet.

The paperbag waist trousers from Zara are probably my favorite bottoms. They are so comfortable and I always get compliments when I wear them. I saw that Zara has them in green too so I might just grab it and "spice" up my wardrobe.

Favorite Fit

I think I've finally found it. I think I've found my "signature style."

From a young age, I've never been comfortable with wearing clothes that were particularly feminine or tight-fitting. I just never felt myself in them. Even when I liked what I was wearing, it never seemed like a genuine representation of my true self.

A few years ago, I bought a pair of boyfriend jeans from H&M. It was then that I started to realize that comfort was most important when expressing yourself with fashion. And I don't mean comfort as in comfortable fabric or comfortable fit. When I put on those boyfriend jeans for the first time, I felt comfortable in my own skin. I felt like I was making a statement, a true statement about what I wanted to artistically express with my clothes. It wasn't long after when I discovered culottes and I learned this is what worked for me.

I still keep a Pinterest board of outfits that inspire me and reflect my personal style and I've found myself leaning more and more to shapes that mirror menswear. There's something so incredibly chic and bold about it, although the clothes themselves are pretty simple.

Her Universe Fashion Show 2015

Before I begin, I just want to say sorry for waiting a month to post pictures from SDCC this year. I have no excuse other than I just simply didn't make time for it. But better late than never, right? So without further ado, I present to you highlights from the 2nd Her Universe Fashion Show.

H&M and Urban Outfitters Haul

This past weekend, I accompanied my friend on a shopping adventure. She is basically revamping her entire wardrobe so we decided to go to some shops to find just the right pieces. We went to The Forum Carlsbad and raided H&M and the sale racks at Urban Outfitters. Check out the outfits I got!

Black Tied Silver Cuff Bracelet

A few weeks ago, I was catching up on what I had missed on etcllymlrs.com. I saw her wearing this exact bracelet in her Autumn GRWM video, except of course it said "LLYMLRS," and thought it was so cool. Lily Melrose is by far my favorite fashion blogger because I really just vibe with her style. I feel like she always looks so chic in whatever she wears and she can make anything look cool. Also, I love understated accessories that are still somehow statement pieces and thought this was perfect for me.

Black Tied is a company based in Ireland and they make lots of fun and edgy jewelry. But don't let the "edgy" part scare you away. Their pieces have more a minimalist feel, which I'm totally into. I know customized jewelry can probably be found here in America, but for whatever reason I really wanted this particular bracelet. It's £12 for a custom bracelet and shipping to the US was only £1.99. My order came out to about $23.

You're maybe asking why I chose to put "Jean" on my bracelet. If you didn't already know, Jean is my middle name. I used to actually hate that name, but as I've grown older, I've learned to appreciate it. I now actually love it. I even sometimes use it at Starbucks, haha.

If you want your very own customized cuff bracelet, check out Black Tied's website.

P.S.
I just want to give a special shout-out to Black Tied and Laura for their great customer service. I misspelled my email address when I was entering my order (guess I was just too excited) so I never got an order confirmation or anything. I emailed them and asked for the status of my order and got a response the very next day. They even corrected my account information for me. So, many thanks to Black Tied!

June Favorites

1. L'Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Mascara & Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Mascara - I've combined the two because I use them together. Alone, the Maybelline one doesn't do much for my lashes. The L'Oreal mascara does fine on its own, but I always want that extra umph when it comes to my lashes so I top it off with the Maybelline one. False Fiber Lashes adds volume, while Volum' Express Falsies adds length and curl. Neither one flakes or smudges onto my lower lash line so it's quite nice. Great duo!
2. Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze - I've praised this product before in the past. It really is one of the best cream shadows out there. I've been trying to add just a bit of color and depth to my lids lately, but I wanted to do it with minimal effort. Bad to the Bronze does the job for me. Best of all, I don't need to use any brushes to apply it on, which makes my routine that much quicker.
3. e.l.f. Eyelid Primer - Who knew this was actually decent? This past month, I've been putting more effort into using my eyeshadow collection. I finally took it out of the Maleficent Disney Villains palette and gave it a go since the only other primer I have is the MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre. It is not too shabby. It prevents creasing, even on a really hot summer day.
4. e.l.f. Essential Liquid Eyeliner - I've really been into 60's make-up lately and I've been relying on this eyeliner to give me the perfect wing. For such a cheap product, the formula is impressive. It stays on all day and does not crease. I haven't used liquid eyeliner in a long time so the first few days were touch and go, but I'm more comfortable with the applicator now. The brush isn't too flimsy or too firm and the handle is the perfect length.
5. Forever 21 Chunky Flatform Sandals - These sandals have been my "default" since the summer began. They're so cute and uber trendy, I really couldn't resist getting them. You can go full-on casual with them (as I've done below) or wear them with a summer dress. They're incredibly comfortable and easy to walk in. I wore them to the fair and was on my feet for a good 5 hours and my feet didn't hurt once. I wish I could buy another pair as a back-up. That's how much I love them.
   

Yay for photos taken at the office!!

Zara High Heel Strappy Sandal w/ Metal Pins

Zara High Heel Strappy Sandal w/ Metal Pins
Price: 79.90 USD
Composition: 100% Polyurethane (Upper), 40% Polyester 60% Polyurethane (Lining), 100% Vulcanized Rubber (Sole)
Heel Height: 3.39 in.

A few weeks ago, I was on Kat Golden's blog and saw her wearing these sandals that pretty much won me over. I was convinced that I needed them. I finally got around to driving to the only Zara store here in San Diego and went on a hunt for them. I was worried that they wouldn't have them in stock anymore, but alas, they were there (with the last pair of Size 6 on display).

I tried them on, looked in the mirror, “smized”, took them off, checked the price tag and immediately had second thoughts. I started to doubt whether or not I really needed them after all. But I REALLY REALLY loved them. I just wasn't sure if that was reason enough to justify such a huge purchase. But then I thought about what my mom always tells me. You see, I was raised by Imelda Marcos. Okay, not the actual Imelda Marcos, but close enough. My mom is an avid shoe collector and when it comes to shoes she always says that if you find the perfect pair, then you should buy it, regardless of the price. Shoes come and go and it's much harder to find the perfect pair of shoes than to find the perfect LBD. Some styles just never come back.

Anyway, I put the shoes back on the shelf and walked around the store to mull over this very difficult decision. I wandered around for awhile, but like a moth to a flame, I found myself going back to them. I decided to put together an outfit to try on with the shoes. I chose this black peplum leather jacket and this printed dress. Well, it certainly did the trick because I went to the register straight after putting my clothes back on and bought them.

Some of the things I love about it is the block heel and the metal pins up front. It's a bit on the trendy side, but I think you can rock it pretty much during any time of day or year. They're so versatile because you can either dress them up or down. They're very easy to walk in and are fairly comfortable. It's a little tight when you first start wearing them, but I think that's pretty normal. I'm sure it'll feel better and less snug when I finally break them in. It's pretty true to size, but if you have wide feet, you might want to size up. The shoes definitely do not feel or look cheap. I don't feel like the straps or the zip in the back are easy to snap or break. I actually think that $80 is a fair price for the quality. The only thing that I don't like is that it's a little difficult to get your foot in the shoe. It's kind of a tight fit on the heel so you really have to shove your feet in. I think it's probably due to the material. The zipper can get also get stuck on the lining if you're not careful. Other than that, I pretty much plan on wearing these babies out as much as I can because I absolutely adore them!

I went to the Zara store recently and a bunch of their shoes are now on sale (up to 50% off), so if you don't want to pay the $80, then you should definitely lookout for these to go on sale as well.

February Favorites

February Favorites by nicole-ehmu

1. MAC Lipstick in Oh Oh Oh - I won this in a giveaway and it seems to be the one that I reach for whenever I can't decide on what to wear for the day. 
2. Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade - Yes, I only just bought this, but it's already one of my favorite brow products ever. It has a similar consistency to the wax that comes in the Benefit Brow-zings compact, but this one stays put once it sets. Trust me on this as I am often walking around with a splotch of brown on my right hand from when I wipe off the excess off my angled brush. It takes a few washes for me to really get it off. Also, I have oily skin and there's never any transfer whenever I blot. Anastasia Soare has got the eyebrow game on lock. 
3. HydroPeptide Cleansing Gel - Could it be that I've found my HG cleanser? Maybe. I'm pretty much in love with it though, so it's pretty close to HG status. This cleanser claims to cleanse, remove make-up and tone. I still use make-up wipes before washing my face, but I think this one of the very few cleansers that actually have left my skin feeling squeaky clean without scrubbing like crazy. It also doesn't leave my skin looking irritated after cleansing. I've noticed some cleansers do that, even when they don't have the scrubbing beads. It definitely dissolves make-up and can remove waterproof mascara easily. Best of all, it contains sebacic acid to prevent breakouts and hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin. I've seen a difference in my skin since I've started using this. I wish I could buy more HydroPeptide products but they are SO expensive!
4. Baby Powder - So, I don't wash my hair everyday. Not even every other day or every two days. I hate washing my hair because it makes my hair kind of flat, and I like my hair to be very voluminous and to have that bedhead look. I've tried a whole bunch of dry shampoos, both high-end and drugstore brands, all with rather disappointing results (except for Batiste and Klorane, which are pretty decent and my only recommendation). However, I've found that the best product to keep oily roots away and still hold your blowout/curls is good ol' baby powder. I've gone 7 days without washing my hair and at day 6, it still looked good. Day 7 was pushing it for me though, but it still didn't look or feel too greasy or nappy. Baby powder dude.
5. 8 ring from Nordstrom Rack - I love simple, understated jewelry. Actually, I love everything understated. It's just my steeze. I saw these rings back in December, but since it was around the time I was doing my Christmas shopping, I couldn't afford to get myself anymore presents. I did make a mental note though to go back again after Christmas. Luckily, they still had these rings in stock back in January and best of all, they were on clearance! Each ring was only $2 each. They have a whole bunch of these in different letters and numbers. I couldn't find one that had an "N" on it so I settled on the number 8 (and of course had to get it in silver and gold), which is my favorite number.

Haul | Sephora, Forever21 & Macy's

If you follow me on Twitter, then you may recall that this past weekend, I tweeted about having a successful day at the mall. It was an impromptu trip and I didn't expect to really find anything. My plans for this particular Saturday was to have lunch with my cousins, check out La Jolla Cove and drop by Ulta to get the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade.

I spent a couple of hours walking around Downtown La Jolla because I hadn't been in a long time. Also, I hadn't seen the ocean in months so I really needed to get my fix. If you live near the coast, I think you're familiar with this feeling. I used to live just 5 minutes from the beach, and I didn't realize how much I missed it. I walked into so many shops, bought some Girl's Scout cookies from some lovely young ladies in front of Warwick's, got myself a Mint Mocha and chocolate chip cookie from the Living Room and even checked out Geppetto's to see if I could get a toy for my niece. I didn't find one, but I did find this book:

After all that, I decided to finally walk down to the cove to check out the water and the sunset to round out my little trip. It was a little early to actually watch the sun set, but it was still really beautiful.

Yes folks, I live here. I have access to this gorgeous view pretty much any day of the week and for three years (before I moved more inland), it was a mere 5 minute drive away from me.

Okay, this post took a really weird turn. Steering it back to where it needs to go...

After my DTLJ adventure, I headed out to Ulta in La Jolla to purchase the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade. I bought this for my mom back in December. She's been all about it since then and I finally decided to get one for myself. Unfortunately, they were all out of the shade I wanted at Ulta so I decided to go to the Sephora at UTC. Luckily they had the Dipbrow in Dark Brown and it turns out I had accumulated enough points on my Beauty Insider account to get something for free. I decided on the Lancome Cils Booster XL. If you've been with me since the very beginning of this blog, then you'll know that Cils Booster is one of my favorite lash products. It is a great mascara primer!

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Dark Brown

I've only been using Dipbrow for three days, but I already love it. It has the consistency of gel liner and when it sets, it pretty much stays put. As you can see, you can either go bold with it, or fill your brows in lightly for a more natural look. You really don't need to use much either so a small pot will last you a long while, which is great because it's goes for $18 a pop.

After I got my Dipbrow fix, I headed over to Forever21. I'm on a mission to find a tartan skirt and I thought that they would have something. They had this skirt, but it just wasn't "the one."

But I did find this really awesome D.A.R.E sweatshirt:

Anyway, since I was unsuccessful there, I checked out other stores. I went into every single store that I thought would possibly have a tartan skirt and found nothing. So, if you happen to come across one somewhere (at a store, online, wherever), please let me know!

The last store I went to was Macy's. I knew I wasn't going to find one there, but they always have a decent sale rack so I thought why the heck not? So before I move on, I just want you all to know that I have been on the hunt for a navy blue skirt for about a year and a half now. I've never been able to find the right one and as I knew I was going to buy it as an "investment" piece, I didn't want to waste money on others that I didn't love. Well last Saturday, lady luck was finally on my side because I found the navy blue skirt I've been searching for. Best of all, it was on sale!

Well that's all for now darlings. And remember, IF YOU FIND A RED TARTAN SKIRT LET ME KNOW! I am desperate lol.

Ross, Old Navy and Hot Topic Haul

Hey sexies! So this past Friday was payday and I thought I'd check out my favorite store, Ross, to see if I can buy more sweaters because you can never have too many of those. I also headed over to Old Navy if they had any good deals and I got very lucky with a jacket that I've been wanting for a long time. I also ordered something special from Hot Topic last week and it came in yesterday.

Check out my haul! I feel like I came up on some really good pieces :)

ROSS

$13.99

As soon as I saw this sweater, I knew I had to have it. I bought it specifically for a skirt that I already have. I can't wait to put this outfit together!

$22.99

Along with sweater/jumpers, I'm also obsessed with ankle boots. There are these peep-toe ankle boots from GUESS that I've wanted for a long time, but even when it's on sale, it's still too expensive for me. These boots are kind of a similar style to it, so when I saw them, I immediately grabbed them. It's still not like the GUESS booties, but it's okay. I think it's a good alternative.
OLD NAVY

Okay, this is probably one of my favorite purchases of the year. Yes, the tag says $69.94 but it was actually on sale for $35! It's pretty good quality. I've tried it out today and it kept me pretty warm. 

And last but not least....

HOT TOPIC

on sale for $14.95

This was the only thing I found worth spending money on on Cyber Monday. I already have a top similar to this by the same brand except it has a TARDIS on it. Can't wait to get me geek on in this shirt. Exterminate!!

GUESS | Tiesto NYT LYF Collection – Studded Zip Dress

Last Friday I tweeted that I had been a bad girl and purchased something from GUESS. Whenever they have a sale, I always jump on it because we all know how crazy expensive their stuff can be. So when I received the email saying everything on clearance was an additional 40% off, I made sure to stop by my local GUESS store to see if I could find something.

I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I just looked through what they had and picked up a couple of dresses to try on, just for fun. The first one I picked up was the Aztec Caviar-Beaded Dress. I loved the way it looked, but not enough that I would buy it. Plus, I already have 3 other dresses that are similar to this that still have tags on them. The second dress I picked up was the Studded Zip Dress from the Tiesto NYT LYF Collection. To be honest, this is one of those dresses that looks really strange on the hanger, but I was really curious as to how it would look so I tried it on without any intentions of purchasing it. I obviously didn't follow through on that...

For more pictures, keep reading!

ASOS Haul

It's always dangerous when ASOS has a sale. Last week they had a huge sale with items up to 70% off and well, this happened...

I'm on the @ASOS website and there's things in my cart. Help me.
— Nicole Jean (@nicole_ehmu) July 2, 2013

Obviously, I didn't make it and eventually clicked the check-out button. However, I'm happy to say that I'm glad I clicked that button because I am now a proud owner of some cute pieces!

Check out the pictures after the jump. I'll also show you how to stretch an outfit three different ways!

Product Review - Zara Two-Tone Shopper Basket Bag

Today's review is on my new favorite handbag. I received this as a birthday present from my mom back in August but only started using it this past December. In fact it made its debut the day I left for London for Christmas.

I am a sucker for oversized handbags and when I saw this on the Zara website back in the Summer of 2012, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I decided to wait though since I had just bought the Plaited Shopper bag and hadn't even used it yet. You can check out my review on that over here.

Before I start my review, let's take a look at the specs:

Dimensions: 15 x 20 x 7 inches.

Outer: 100% POLYURETHANE

Lining: 50% COTTON, 50% JUTE
Retail Price: 79.90 USD

First things first, as opposed to my other Zara bag, this one is obviously not real leather. Also, the canvas lining inside does not detach, which I love. This bag is huge and I've been able to fit a small jacket into it on occasion. I'm the type of gal that likes to fit whatever I can into my bag no matter how heavy it will make it, so this has been perfect for me. I definitely recommend it if you travel. It eliminates the need to carry an additional carry-on bag. It has enough room to fit your toiletries plus more.

Like I said, I took the bag out of the box the night before I left for London so I broke it in pretty quickly. There isn't a zipper that goes all the way across, which may be problematic for some. It definitely was something I was always conscious of whenever I'd go into the city with this bag. I just made sure that the open sides were covered with a scarf (or the SotTJ) in case a pick-pocketer decided to get friendly with my belongings. Unlike my other Zara bag, this one has pockets inside where you can put your phone, a pen, etc. so I don't have to dig around my bag for them.

Because of its size, it's a bit difficult to keep stashed underneath the seat in front of you on airplanes (in Economy at least). I have to admit I squished it a bit, but I don't mind a little wear and tear on bags that I know I will use everyday. I like a bit of "character" if you know what I mean. Speaking of wear and tear, there is a bit of "breaking" on the material, especially on the handles and corners (see pictures below). And this didn't happen over time. This happened maybe a couple of days after I used it. You can say I was a bit disappointed, but it's not that noticeable so I'm not too upset about it. Hopefully it doesn't get worse.

With my other Zara bag, I had problems with the dye rubbing off on my clothes. I was a bit afraid this would do the same, but luckily it hasn't done that. Well, sort of. When I was in Liverpool back in December, it was raining and I had to walk in the rain for a good half mile. Before driving back home, we stopped to eat dinner at some restaurant. When I sat down, I was wiping off the outside of my bag because it was pretty wet and I noticed that there was a bit of red on the napkin I used. It wasn't too much, but I was definitely worried for a second. I thought it might've rubbed off on my coat but I don't think it did. Granted my coat was black, but it's not hard to tell if red dye rubs off on clothing. I must mention though that the color has not faded and the dye hasn't rubbed off on anything else.

Overall, I am very happy with this handbag! A huge thanks, again, to my mom for getting this for me for my birthday last year! X