Anastasia of Beverly Hills & Wild as a Mink

Recently I was approached by a media team partnering up with Anastasia of Beverly Hills.

They asked me if I'd be interested in joining their Blogger Appreciation Program, and I was more than stoked to do so.

Anastasia is a skincare and cosmetics line based out of Beverly Hills.  They are currently stocked at Sephora nationwide.

The company has done campaigns for Diesel,  Flaunt Magazine, and Bebe as well as some of the looks/publications shown below.

So, when I was asked to review one of their many products, I chose the Hydra Full Lip Gloss.

It's on its way in the mail so I hear...and once I receive it I'll make sure to report back to you with a full, honest review.

I'm not one to dance around the truth...so expect nothing less than my god-honest opinion of the product.

I look forward to collaborating with Anastasia of Beverly Hills in testing new products and offering upcoming giveaways to my readers. 

Lets hope my time with Anastasia is mutually beneficial and lucrative so I can offer you a chance to win some of their products and you can give them a test-run yourself!

Now wouldn't that be ideal???

Um...YES!

In the meantime, while we wait for me to receive the lipgloss, and while we wait for a future giveaway, make sure to visit their site and check out their full line of merchandise.

And, don't hesitate to learn a thing or two about beautiful brows while you're at it.  I watched it, and I can definitely say I should probably invest in Ms. Anstasia Soare's brow kit.

Well because...um have you seen my brows?  

Yeah...YIKES!

So make sure to stop back by in a few...I can't wait to tell you what I think about their Hydra Full Lipgloss, let alone my experience with their products.

Yay!  I'm excited!

I am indeed a girl that likes her makeup!

The Garrott Tee: Look #15-In Transition

It's Look #15 of the "Without my Muse" tshirt from Garrott Designs.  Lately I've had a hard time with it, because the weather does not cooperate and it remains chilly and rainy and just not spring-like here in NYC.
With that being said, I've also not rotated my wardrobe from winter to spring/summer.  Soon people, soon...then I'll finally have some new ideas and looks to bring you.  Because honestly, I realize this here is just another GRAY way of wearing The Garrott Tee.

Anyway, this time around I wore the tshirt to work-so you're seeing firsthand a work outfit.  My workplace, being part of the fashion industry, is very laidback and we can wear what we wish--but I still don't think that means I should slack off.  So on the non-jeans days I try to go with a skirt or dress, especially if I intend to wear a tshirt.  I don't like wearing a tshirt and jeans to work often--if so, I think it needs a little oomph, i mean afterall this is still a professional place of business.
Yeah-so this time I paired the tshirt with a skirt, a skirt from work actually, and it takes it to that creative level I require when going to the office.

Thankfully the Garrott Tee is easy to link up with accessories too.  I love me some accessories, yet I'm not one to go overboard with them, just a few here and there.  I think its the gray hues of the tshirt that allow me to easily toss a few add-ons into the mix.  Usually its a scarf right?  This time I went with just a necklace, actually two.

And there you go, a glimpse into my office-attire, and a glimpse of how you can take a tshirt like the Garrott tee and make it work at work.

Do you get to wear tshirts to work?  If so, how do you style it for the office? Do you keep it casual and just go with it, or do you try to take it to the next level so as not to look like a slob?

Wearing:
*Gray "Without my Muse" tshirt-Garrott Designs (for sale HERE)
*Gray skirt-Alberto Makali
*Black leggings-Uniqlo
*Black booties-Steve Madden
*Black necklace-H&M
*Silver guitar tab necklace-from Bust Craft fair's goodie bag

The Garrott Tee: Look #14-Flower Power

This week, I tried my hand at whipping up the new with the old...
a vintage frock of floral fauna layered under the "Without my Muse" tee from Garrott Designs.

It's always fun to mix it up in such a way, it keeps a vintage dress from looking too costume-y, while incorporating some laid-back ease that only a tshirt can offer.

The dress itself was a bit longer than my usual preference.  In fact, it was below the knee and rather dowdy. 
To remedy this, I did some DIY work as is not a surprise.  I took some safety pins, pinched the dress at the middle of my thigh at the side front--and took it up a few inches and pinned.  VOILA-thus creating a bit of a high-low hemline and a little more movement and sass overall.  I then did the same exact thing to my other side-front leg area. 
This is a great tip girls if ever you have a full swingy dress that's a bit longer than you like, but you don't have the time for proper hemming/alterations just yet.  A few safety pins can be a girl's BFF.  I know!

I then got all "snazzy" with the dress' tie belt.  I don't need the belt at my waist when I've got the Garrott Tee wrangling in the dress' fullness.  Soooooo, I did what any intelligent lassie would do, I tied it around my neck for some excess pizazz! 
It adds one more touch of floral feminity to the whole look. 
Just one more way to take the "Without My Muse" tee and make it a wee bit girly!

Do you ever try anything like this with your pretty lil' vintage frocks?  Or do you just wear them as they are?  I do both...but sometimes those thrift store 70s dresses are just a bit much, no?  And when that's the case, I find a quick fix like the Garrott Tee to be a lifesaver.  (I mean yes, I could just opt not to wear the vintage dress altogether, but really?  I'm not practical like that!)

So girls...get yourself a Garrott Tee and see what you can come up with.  I'm loving all the creative juices this collaboration has brought about in me.  Before, a tshirt was just a tshirt...but I'm learning along with you, that there's a bajillion ways to wear a tee outside of the norm.

Wearing:
*Gray "Without My Muse" tshirt-Garrott Designs (for purchase HERE)
*Pink floral print vintage dress-Thrift Store
*White lace tights-unknown
*Beige suede booties-Calvin Klein
*Silver vintage necklace-Thrift store
*Ring-H&M
*Silver Hoop Earrings-some random jewelry cheapo store on 14th st.

The Garrott Tee: Look #11-Such a Chore

No, I'm not elluding that the Garrott Tee styling project has become a chore; I'm stating that my outfit this time around looks like I'm ready to do chores.

Perfect for spring cleaning or running errands around my neighborhood; pair the "Without My Muse" tee with spring's new jean silhouette (70s style flares) and you're ready to go; ready to get down and dirty while still looking cute!

Sure, its yet again just a simple jeans and tshirt combo, but a couple colorful-nifty accessories and you've punched it up to the next level.

NO reason you have to look grimey and grubby to pot some plants, to wash the windows, to run to the grocery--I sure as heck won't let myself look like that.  Treat chores like you'd treat anything else, dress for it--just not in your designer clothes ok?

But why not brighten your day by pairing some bright scarf on your head, a colored jacket to keep the chill out if doing outdoor gardening, and maybe a belt to just add some pizazz?

Yeah that's right, accessories ladies...they can make a tshirt outfit something much cooler, and they can make chores and errands all the better.

So if you're feeling you need another tshirt to add to your wardrobe, something to spice up your household duties, then head on over to Garrott Designs and pick up a "Without My Muse" tee for only $20!

Wearing:

*Gray "Without My Muse" tshirt-Garrott Designs

*Blue flared jeans-Gap

*Green jacket-Forever 21

*Yellow platfrom wedges-Target

*Beige vintage belt-thrift store

*Multi-color kerchief-thrift Store

*Rainbow ring-gift from friend

Until next time kiddies...I'll be doin' some spring cleaning!

The Garrott Tee: Look #10-SCALLOPed potatoes

Hey, I'm back with another personal take on wearing Garrott Designs' "Without My Muse" T-shirt.

(They were kind enough to give a break last week cause my brain was creatively fried-and my closet is uninspriring at the moment; but now I'm back in the game!)

This time around, for Look #10, I paired some of my old trusty Fall pieces with some of my trusty Spring pieces--appropriate considering the weather seems to teeter back and forth btwn spring-ish and fall-ish here in the Northeast. 

(one day it'll be spring and I promise you a full blown SPRING styling; but for now, we gotta deal with my transitional wardrobe choices)

While the blouse underneath says FALL due to the rust shade; I think the scallop detail on the sleeves and tiers says SPRING.  Nothing is better for Spring '11 than some girly scallops. 

(although pretty sure Chloe was on it a year earlier-yeah i'm a commoner, not an owner of designer goods, therefore I can be a year behind ok?)

I wanted to be seasonally appropriate, yet still warm enough, so I thought layers as usual were the way to go.  And layers are fun, you can be so creative with how you do it all up.

I mean why be so boring all the time with just a tank under a tee...spice it up a bit.  Pair uncommon choices and throw on the Garrott Tee and you'll be surprised by the outcome.  Practice makes perfect, and until you try you'll never know what works and what is simply crazy but kinda cool.

By that, I kinda mean what I've got going on here. 

Who really thinks to fold up the tshirt to waist-level, and to roll under the sleeves to form a sorta sweater-vest looking t-shirt?

And while I'm at it, why not do the scallop silky blouse underneath?  Yeah why not.

Then the body-con skirt to balance the scallop, the booties to keep me warmer than a sandal, and a multi color scarf to tie it all together-yeah works for me!

And its not your normal everyday tshirt outfit, right?

C'mon kids, let's have fun with a tshirt once in a while...tell me how you're wearing your tees lately, anything creative? After all, I did say my brain was so fried last week creatively that Garrott Designs had to give me the week off--so I could probably take some inspiration from some of your crazy ideas.

Wearing:

*Gray tshirt-Garrott Designs

*Rust scalloped blouse-Target

*Gray jersey skirt-H&M

*Multi-color scarf-H&M

*Beige suede booties-Calvin Klein

Minding my p's and CURLY q's

Wait...what's different about this picture?  What's going on here?  Why is my hair beyond just "wavy"?

It's because the good people over at Misikko gave me the opportunity to test out one of their

 Professional Curling Irons.

You might recall, just last month I tested out one of their professional flat irons as seen here, being that it worked out well for me, I thought of course it would be awesome to review another one of their products  for your consideration.

When I received the clipless curling wand, I was a at first a little worried about just how this asymmetrical hairstyle of mine would fair when curled.  I mean asymmetry in hairstyles is not usually best shown with texture like curl upon the mane, right?  

And I'll admit, the end result-while much more pleasant than I imagined, was a little odd but only because of my cut...

the curling wand itself worked like a fast-action curling iron; 

a dream curl it created just soooooo right if I do say so myself!

Ok, so as usual, I started fresh out of the shower, dried my hair as usual with my paddle brush and professional hairdryer.

This is what I typically look like immediately after unplugging my dryer.

(Not too wavy, not too straight, but definitely nooooo curl)

While drying my hair, I plugged in the curling wand to let it heat up.

Well slap me and call me crazy...but this thing heated up to perfection in a matter of mere seconds!

Amazing, such little wait time!

So I went about clipping up sections of my hair so as to get to the bottom layer first.

And then a curling I went.

I took about 2" sections on each layer until the full head was curled (sans bangs, no curl needed there).

I alternated curling direction with each strand--one curled clockwise, the next curled counter-clockwise...all curled in a ringlet type style.

I'll admit, I initially found the curling wand a little awkward to use.  After a few tries, and a few minutes into it, I think I got the hang of it.  

It's a little difficult at first being that there is not clamp to it-but I found taking the end of the strand of hair and wrapping it loosely around the barrel of the iron, then gently pulling the end of the hair would allow for it to easily wrap around the iron and within seconds I could release and have a near perfect ringlet ready to rival that of Nelly Olsen's 'do 

(yeah...I referenced "Little House on the Prairie" just now; why not that is one fine show I grew up with and still love it to this day!)

About 10min later (I don't have tons of hair ok, as if it wasn't already apparent) I end up with lots and lots of texture, curls abundant everywhere!  And you know what...I think I like it!

Um yeah...I like it!

Now this review went down on a Friday evening...do you think I was going to just stay home after that? NO!

I have a boyfriend these days--AKA a life outside of the blogosphere--so I was off to his house for some Netflix and hangout time.

Of course, as soon as I arrive for a lowkey evening with him and the roomate(s), the hair is the subject of conversation.  To be fair, they only have ever seen me for the past 5 months with straight hair, maybe slightly wavy 1-2x when I was accidentally caught in the rain, but other than that never have they seen such a 'do on this girl.

And although I told BF beforehand that I curled it, for some reason they all kept asking where I went earlier that evening, all the while complimenting the curly style of course.  But really? Do curls automatically equate to actually having a social engagement besides just me dolling myself up for no reason other than to review a product?  Silly boys...I went nowhere before their house so I found it silly they kept asking where I was at.

Eh, regardless, I guess it was cool I didn't get laughed at--least it got compliments from them.  

Sounds like the clipless curling wand and its finished product are boy approved-just sayin'.

In conclusion, if in the market for a new curling iron, or a change in hairstyle, give a clipless curling wand a try.  You'll grasp the technique without the clamp in no time, and you'll be amazed at the dreamlike ringlets you can create in no time at all.

Consider checking out Misikko.com; I've come to love their products.

It's not just the two products like I've reviewed, they've also got travel hair dryers - perfect for summer vacations friends! And brands like Corioliss Flat Irons-interesting looking philosophy/item.

And on that note...feel free to laugh at me too if you so desire, its a pretty crazy look for me I'll admit.

I laugh when I see it, so you can too!

The Garrott Tee: Look #9-DIY Time!

As a fashion designer, a basic tshirt silhouette just begs me to cut it up.  It's not long before I take to my older tees and slash it here, rip it there...I just don't seem to keep my tshirts in their original state for more than few wears.

The Garrott Tee is no exception...

No tee is safe when I'm with scissors!

Many of you may wonder just how some of us girls achieve the perfectly disheveled slashed up tees we wear around town with such natural nonchalance.  While many others know exactly how we go about getting that wide neckline, slouchy fit, total Do-It-Yourself style.

This post is NOT for those ladies that know what I'm talking about...no no, this is for the non-patternmakers, the ones not schooled in the fashion trade, those that have a couple of tshirts lying around that they just want to unleash some wrath on.

(or say, a insanely oversized vintage concert tee, the perfect specimen for a little DIY cutting!)

Here we go ladies...a quick tutorial in how to cut your tshirt!

-How to Make a Wide Open Neckline-

1. Start with a basic tshirt;

(I prefer one slightly oversized, it lends itself to a nice slouchy effect when finished)

2. Get out your supplies, you'll need scissors, a ruler, and a writing utensil.

(if you've got a French Curve, all the better)

3. Measure the shoulders on each side

(sometimes tshirt, especially after many washings, become wonky and not symmetric.) 

Make sure they're a similar length; if not you'll have to do some fudging of measurements

4. Once both shoulders are measured and its determined they're about the same length, decide how open you're going to want your neckline. 

 (It's best to go with a slightly open neck, as you can go wider and wider later on, but you can never go back to less wide once cut.)

I tend to start with a 2 to 2-1/2" wider neckline on each side

(making the neck essentially 5" wider total when finished)

Mark the shoulder your desired measurement over from neckline opening

(shown here, I've gone 2-1/2" wider-measured over from shoulder/neck point)

Do this on both right and left shoulder.

5. Next, find the center front neck point. 

To do this, lay your ruler at shoulder/neck points and take half that measurement--that's your center front neck.

6. Now that you found your center front neck, determine how low you want the center neck to be...this is called your Neck Drop.  Measure down center front neck and mark the lowest point you want your neck drop to be.

(I've determined about 1-1/2" is a good neck drop for this tee--I didn't want to cut into the graphics of the tee)

7.  Now, following the curve of original neckline, draw your new neckline connecting shoulder mark to center front neck drop mark. 

(This is where your french curve can come in handy-but if you don't have a french curve, you can just eyeball it.)

It'll look something like below:

8. Now cut along this new neckline

(I prefer to cut just slightly below my drawn line so that I don't have any marker lines left on my tshirt when finished)

It should look something like below:

And voila!  Bestowed upon you is the finished product...a DIY, authentic, one of a kind Garrott Tee.

Now get your scissors, get your cut on, and show me your creativity!

How you wear your DIY tee is up to you...I prefer to keep it casual.

Since it was a typical day, being more daring was not called for, therefore I went with a wifebeater underneath.

However, on the weekends, I've been known to go sans tank underneath.  Sometimes I like to take risks and show a little more than the 'rents would prefer.  But  hey...when you're an adult you can do what you like, right?

And uh, yeah...."I'm an adult"  so I'll wear what I please, and wear it as I want.

Wearing:

*Gray"Without My Muse Tee" w/DIY detail(s)-Garrott Designs

*White tank-Hanes

*White knit hat-Urban Oufitters

*Skinny Jeans-Uniqlo

*Brown sweater/cardigan-Alberto Makali

*Brown suede shoes-See by Chloe

*Earrings and Necklace-Forever 21

*Leather bracelet-H&M

Stay tuned...this is NOT the end of my Garrott Tee altering adventures.

Oh no...I plan to cut this up a few more times, its a work in progress.

-And I'll be sure to tell you just how to go about cutting it yourself; you know...so if you ever feel inclined you can show me just how you got "crazy" with the scissors!

The Garrott Tee: Look #8-Fandango

This week I bring you a more laidback, more practical, more casual version of the Garrott Tee I've been styling up each week for Garrott Designs.

I'll admit the last few looks have been pretty out there, even for me; I assure you, this one is perfect for almost everyone...so give it a whirl, or show me/tell me what you got for such an occasion I'm about to tell you about below.

Ok, so lets pretend I don't forget to use my Living Social coupon for two movie tix at just $9 total, that I bought last month (I've got till June before those babies expire...sooooo boyfriend, take note and pick a movie already...let's go eat some popcorn!).  This version of the "Without My Muse" tshirt would be a perfect look for a lowkey movie night with my main man, no?

It's one part sweet-what, with the lace dress underneath and all.

One part sassy-the Garrott Tee does that for me

One part-classic, thanks to my vintage Coach purse I turned into a clutch.

All in all, my idea of a successful movie outfit...comfy all the while being cute too.

Sooooooo let me just get on fandango.com, use my Living Social discount code...and boyfriend and I are off to see something on the silver screen.

Wearing:

*Gray graphic tee-Garrott Designs 

For Sale, $20, HERE

*Pink lace dress-H&M

*Skinny Jeans-Uniqlo

*Taupe leather boots-Jessica Simpson

*Vintage Coach purse-Thrift Store

*Pearl banded watch-Swatch

The Garrott Tee: Look #7-Get In Shape Girl

Get in Shape Girl...more like Get a Laugh Girl!

I give you 110% of my permission to laugh at me and my jack-assory all the way thru this post.

Me, working out, exercise...my coordination doesn't really allow for grace to be involved with that combination.

Sooooooooooo here we go...

1,2,3, and 4 and Kick, and Kick, and squat, and Kick!

This time I took the Garrott Tee to the gym!

While I'm not in the gym in these particular shots, I assure you I am freshly sweaty and stinky from being at a workout class in these photos...so here, this is what I look like right after burning 310calories doing an 80's aerobics workout.  SWEAT!

If you've been following me on Twitter, catching some of my random sidenotes here in this blog, or just watching me in real life (yikes!), you know that I'm a wee bit obsessed with self appearance.  I blame it on the fashion industry and having to put on dresses at work almost daily.  If a dress doesn't zip up its a bit of a blow to the ol' self esteem.  If it does zip and its tight, just as bad--it might as well not zip.

I like to put the dresses on and have them loose, I'd like to be known as the girl that's not really as big as our samples.  I know, very very shallow, but I'm in the fashion industry...lets place blame where blame needs to be placed!

So yes, if you've been following me you know that I gained some holiday cookie weight I was not paricularly fond of.  So I kicked my butt into gear and started hitting the gym and eating "right".

And I don't see why I shouldn't take a nice tshirt like that from Garrott Designs, and wear it to the gym???

Just cause I'm dripping with sweat and getting all hot doesn't mean I shouldn't look fun doing it!

I find the tshirt to be perfect for the gym.  It's not some ol' torn piece of tricot you call a "workout shirt" buried in the bottom of your dresser drawer, this actually makes you look cute while working out!

I like it because its form fitting and shows off your hard work and efforts, while not being so constricting you cannot move.  In fact, if anything, knowing its more fitted keeps my form better--meaning I suck in my gut!  And that's key to flat abs and a great routine. 

So yeah, there you go!  Wear the Garrott Tee for a vigorous sweat fest, and look great doing it!

Pair it up with some fun pieces so you're not all serious, and hey--you're that quirky girl riding the stationary bike all awkardly!  Oh wait, that's just me!

Whether you're doing yoga, stretches, lunges, weight lifting, crab crawls, whatever, the Garrott Tee won't let you look like a slob, and it'll make you and your form tip-top!

So kids, this is probably something you'll NEVER see from me again, so cherish the workout look and post gym "glow" (er...sweat) of Look #7 while you can.

I will probably never ever be back on this blog in my exercise attire...however, with me its a good idea to "never say never"

Wearing:

*Without my Muse gray tshirt-Garrott Designs

*Black biker shorts-Old Navy

*Black leg warmers-gift from mom

*Nike airs-Lady Footlocker

*gym sweat-all my own!