TIP: To avoid over-stuffing my closet, whenever I buy something new, I get rid of something I currently own. I know this seems super dramatic, but think about it! If you're already complaining that you can't close your dresser drawers or fit any more hangers in your closet, adding more clothes will just make the problem worse -- no matter how much you NEED that new shirt or pair of shorts. So all you need to do is solve this issue is get rid of something that you don't wear to make room for something that you will wear! This also is a ton of incentive to really make sure what you're buying is worth it -- if you don't like it enough to get rid of something else.. PUT IT DOWN!
Anyway, moving on to the haul!
WARNING: LONG POST!
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| This is an outfit I threw together using some of my new pieces!! Read on. |
American Apparel
1. Cotton Spandex Crop Tank in "Heather Oatmeal" ($28)
Oof. I seriously own so many cropped tops and tanks, but whatever. I wear them almost every single day so I can justify it. I really loved the oatmeal color of this one, and it's made out of such a soft fabric. (This is the cropped tank I'm wearing in the summer outfit from the Instagram picture above.) There's really not much to say about this except how versatile it is! Before I bought it I thought of about a dozen different outfits I could make with it. And I was sold!
2. Mid-Length Pocket Tank in "Banana Cream" ($29)
So good. Again, super self explanatory purchase. I loooove pocket tees and tanks in general, and I actually have a few cropped ones already (typical). I actually liked the yellow-y creamy color of this top, with the subtle striping on it (you can see it in the detail photo).
I'm also going to apologize right here for the TERRIBLE photos of these clothes -- the lighting in my room was absolutely terrible when I went to take these pictures, and my room lighting was overcorrecting the shadows which made it even worse. Ugh.
H&M
3. Chiffon Kimonos ($15 Each, Sold Out Online -- Check In Store!)
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| I'm literally cringing looking at the lighting in this picture.. |
I've been on such a huge kimono kick! And the fact that these were only $15 was such a great deal. You probably can't even get that good of a deal at Forever21! I digress. Chiffon kimonos are such an amazing piece for summer. They're light, airy, flowy, easy-to-wear, and everything you want something summery to be. I'm a huge jacket/cardigan/sweater person -- I love being able to throw something on top of an outfit, because layering can give a plain outfit so much extra dimension.
TIP: Wearing a chiffon kimono (or anything similar) is the summer equivalent of wearing a jacket or boyfriend cardi. I layer them on top of a tank, tee, bodysuit, bathing suit, or anything more form-fitting. You can also totally rock it over a looser-fitting top, but I still like to give my body somewhat of a shape when wearing something so floaty!
4. Men's Slim Fit Shirt ($15 Sold Out Online -- Check In Store!)
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| THE LIGHTING! THE HORROR! |
I fell in love with this button down. I'm notorious for shopping in the men's department at any store I go to that has a men's department. H&M is one of my favorites! This shirt was too cute to pass up. The subtle stripe, the polka dot collar, the navy blue stripped cuff (not pictured), the contrasted blue lining.. it was too good! I love the way a men's oxford fits -- it's more structured and less.. girly? For some reason, I don't like the way women's blouses have darts all over the place. I obviously know that they're constructed that way for a reason -- women generally have curves and men generally do not. But.. still! I know what I like and I wear what I like.
TIP: Don't let the "men's" label stop you! Why not browse the guy's section to see if anything catches your eye!? I've found a lot of my favorite clothing items buried in a men's department, and wouldn't have found them if I didn't go look around.
5. Sleeveless Dress in "White" ($25)
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| LOLz at my messy bed in the mirror.. |
I'm not particularly sure I'd describe this dress as "white" but maybe more of an ecru or off-white. I also took a detail photo to show what the full-length photo doesn't, which is the beautiful knit fabric of the bodice of the dress. Maxi dresses and skirts are beyond comfortable in hot weather. I mean, hello, no pants? While still looking cute? Yes, please. Something that I've noticed in the maxi-dress world is the absurd length of the skirts. I'm 5'5", which isn't short in women-world. Yet I find that most maxi's I try on are made for women who are at least 5'7" or up. (Most maxi's I buy I have to tailor to my height!) This is why this dress is so perfect -- if you notice the bottom of the skirt, it's actually a sort of asymmetrical handkerchief hemline. It's a combination of flowy AND length-appropriateness!
6. Chiffon Maxi Skirt ($10 Sold Out Online -- Check In Store!)
This skirt, for $10, is to die for. (It's the skirt I'm wearing in my summer outfit Instagram above!) Airy, light, and it has not one but TWO side slits! Perfect for walking around in without feeling like you're stuck in a fabric tube and can't move your legs more than 5 inches.
7. Harem Pants in "Black" ($18)
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| Yes, this is a true black -- the lighting just sucks. |
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| Look at dat cat hair! My bad. |
My god, if you're going to wear pants, you can't find anything comfier than an elastic-waist, jersey harem pant. The comfiest style of pants made out of the softest light-weight fabric with a stretchy waistband -- a combo made in heaven. A lot of people are against the harem pants "fad," but I personally love it. I own about 5-7 pairs of harem pants, in all different materials, prints, and colors. And I don't regret any of it!
TIP: Pair harem pants with a tighter-fitting top so you don't lose your shape in a sea of fabric. And as long as there's some structure, throwing on a jacket or any other type of layering piece is totally fine. It's such a casual-cool look, and even if you don't think you can pull them off, trust me.. you can!
Just for some reference (even though they have a print on them), here is how I've styled harem pants in the past! [You can click on the photo to make it bigger!] The left is much more day-time appropriate for going out to lunch or running errands. On the right is an outfit I'd wear if I was going out at night somewhere during the summer! [FYI: the printed pants are from Urban Outfitters from 2012, haha.]
8. Men's Sweatpant Shorts in "Dark Gray" ($18)
I'm telling you, the men's department is filled with gold! These shorts are definitely more for lounging around the apartment, running some lazy-day errands, or just for when you want to be comfortable. I'm not one of those people who believes that you have to look fantastic every time you step outside your front door. And these sweats are comfy, baggy, and cute enough to leave the house without feeling like a loaf who hasn't showered in three days (even if that's 100% accurate). Pair it with a white tank or tee, a cute pair of gym shoes like these ones, and you're all set!
9. Men's Weekend Bag ($60)
OKAY, okay. This one was definitely a splurge. I don't usually spend $60 on one item unless it's an investment piece, and this is definitely an investment piece. Because I travel quite often, even going back and forth between my apartment in the city and my parents' house in the suburbs, I use a weekender bag on a regular basis. The bag I've been using has been my go-to bag since HIGH SCHOOL, people. High school. So I was due for a new one. And this caught my eye the instant I saw it. I don't know if you can tell from the pictures, but it's HUGE! It's what I used to pack all my stuff up for the last four days for my long weekend. And let me tell you -- normally the amount of stuff I bring home fills up at least three smaller duffel bags. But I fit every single thing I brought back with me into this one bag. It's cute AND extremely functional.
..And from the men's department!! GOLD.
Sephora
So I picked up a few other items from good ol' Sephora, but they were my basics (Anastasia Brow Wiz, UD Cannonball Mascara, Stila Waterproof Eye Liner.. etc.) and I've done reviews and swatches and hauls with them before, so I decided not to include them in this haul. Repeating items can get a little boring and repetitive, so why bother?! Listed below are products that I haven't really mentioned before!
10. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray ($30)
I know I've mentioned this in a recent makeup tutorial post, but I'll reiterate everything I said before. This spray is a miracle worker for the summer months. I have a naturally oily face (not to mention my hyperhidrosis), but during the fall and winter (and even the spring), I don't have as bad of an issue with my makeup melting and fading throughout the day. But gurl. When it's 70 degrees or above, I'm doomed. Unless I use this spray! If you haven't used this spray before, I know what you're thinking. How can some mist on my face really affect my makeup that much? WELL IT CAN.
TIP: Especially if you have oily skin like me -- and even if you don't! -- spritz on a few sprays of this stuff and your makeup isn't going anywhere. And I know that $30 may seem pricey for a setting spray, but a little goes a long way, and one bottle lasts forever! Ya get 4 ounces, it's unheard of. So seriously beat the heat and humidity with this product and you will thank me later. [Here is a NYX version that is only $8 for 2 ounces, so about half the price of the UD one! I can't speak for how well it works, but the reviews are pretty great!]
11. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in "Eden" ($20)
No, I'm not giving up my Nars Eyeshadow Base! But I definitely wanted to try out the "Eden" version of this UD eyeshadow primer. I have the UD Original Primer Potion and love the way it sets my eyeshadows. And I wear so many shadow-heavy eye looks that I figured a base that already starts out as a beige-y color would be a perfect addition to my collection, just when I want to use it.
TIP: This is another summer makeup essential. Prime. Your. Eyes!! I can't say it enough. Creasing in eyeshadows and eyeliners is already a bad enough look that happens so often if you don't prime, but in the summer it gets infinitely worse. The natural oils on your eyelid, mixed with the humidity in the air, can cause havoc on your eye makeup. Maybe during the dry winter months you can get away with not priming, but the summer is a different story. Try to combat this as best as possible with a really substantial eyeshadow primer/base, and watch how much less your eye makeup smudges and melts off throughout the course of the day! (Primer is one of those products where you don't think you need it -- until you use it once. The rest is history.)
12. Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow in "Light/Medium" ($22)
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| Leetle fibers! |
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| Look. At. Those. Brows! |
Gimme Brow is one of those makeup products that every single makeup guru/YouTuber/blogger talks about. I, of course, am so loyal to my Anastasia brow products. But that doesn't mean I can't use them both in conjunction with each other! The thing I love about this product that I can't get from the Anastasia brow gel are the fibers. Don't get me wrong, I still absolutely love my Anastasia brow gel! But using it on top of the Gimme Brow was something my eyes had never before witnessed. The applicator brush is so tiny, and with every stroke, more volume was added to my super-sparse brows. This is going to sound crazy, but to achieve the brow look in the photo above, I used six different products. That's right. Six. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color in "Medium" at the inner part of my brow, and "Dark" at the arch and tail. Anastasia Brow Wiz in "Taupe" at the inner part, and "Caramel" at the arch and tail. Benefit Gimme Brow in "Light/Medium" over the whole brow, and then Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel in "Brunette" over the whole brow. [Yes, a new brow tutorial will be coming soon!] I know I'm crazy, don't look at me like that!
TIP: Sweating is a pretty normal thing when the weather is hot. To really make sure that your brows stay in place during the summer, use a brow gel! This will ensure that your hard work (if you do your brows) will stay in place all day, throughout all the humidity and inevitable sweat! And even if you keep your brows au naturale, using a brow gel will really set them in place and make sure they don't stray during the day!
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WHEW! That was incredibly long. I really hope this summer haul and all those tips really inspire you to do something different with your look this summer, or just simply perfect what you already have going on! :]
xojaybee
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