New Boots

Let me preface this by saying I knowwww they are Uggggs. This is also probably the most I've spent on any clothing item, including my coats and my prom dress. However, I have only had Ugg Jillian for 24 hours and I'm already so glad I bought them. I originally purchased Ugg Broome II in black leather but the black wasn't as dark as I would have liked, and, as much as I love simple, they were too plain for me. I normally keep away from suede shoes but the black suede on the Jillians are so rich and nice, and they have just enough detailing. The tread is so nice and the heel is heightening but still comfortable to walk in.

However, this is the main draw of these boots:



LOOK AT ALL THAT SHEEPSKIN. I feel like my feet are wrapped in carpets and blankets. The insole is also removable so I can place an extra insole under them for more arch support and when they get worn out I can just buy new sheepskin insoles. I've worn these boots the past 2 days with a pencil skirt and an a-line skirt and they look nice with both; eventually I'd like to try them under bootcut jeans and over leggings (and maybe skinny jeans...maybe). The fleece does show at the top but it actually doesn't bother me much; makes me feel like a 70s ski bunny.

If you live in a really cold climate where your feet get cold easily I would highly recommend these. I've worn them with a single pair of tights and I can feel the difference on my legs. They also come in a beautiful, rich chocolate brown if that's more yours style. These are going to be my favourite winter boots for years to come.

Pink Spex

I don't know if it's a cabin fever thing or what but late winter I get the sudden urge to buy new glasses (my last purchase dates 3/9/11 so I'm a little early this year) and now that I'm blonde I'm all about pink. After searching the web 5 times I have narrowed it down to one of these two pairs. Any opinion? I like the peachiness and opacity of the first pair, but the second pair is a nicer shape.

UPDATE: I went with the second pair!

Christmas Dress

I've always loved the ritual of buying a new dress for my family's Christmas Eve party (and one for my birthday party), and as my first Christmas as a blonde I'm thinking red, red, red! I just ordered this dress and its simplicity leads me to contemplate what to wear with it! I have so many options. Assuming it works out, here are some of the possibilities I've been playing with on Polyvore:

Frock Band Dress Set 1 by slubird featuring sparkle tights

frock band set 2 by slubird featuring polka dot tights

frock band set 3 by slubird featuring mid heel sandals

What would you pair with this dress?

A Leg Up

Left to right: Hue, Sock Dreams, American Apparel

It's definitely winter in Chicago and it's time to layer! It's hard below the belt; you're pretty much stuck wearing boots, thick socks, and tights. I want to keep my cute flats in rotation until there's snow, but I don't want to wear six layers of tights, so I've been turning to legwarmers. I have a pair I got in Scotland eight years ago that I love to wear, and I've been browsing the web for another pair or two to add to my closet.

All I Want For Christmas

It's so hard making Christmas lists sometimes; everything practical I already buy myself, and the things I really want are sometimes too expensive for my loved ones to buy for me. Nevertheless, here are some beauties I'd love to see under the tree this year; some are pretty affordable and most are from Etsy. I also have a lot of jewelry from Etsy in my favorites, but a list of just earrings would be kind of boring, no? :)



Clockwise from upper left: Blue Wood Petal Necklace from ElisaMaiDesign on Etsy, Kites and Constellations Cardigan from Anthropologie,
White Lace on Silver Grey Brooch by lesalikes on Etsy, Jersey Hand Printed Circle Scarf from barkdecor on Etsy, Swan Sterling Silver Earrings from CyKLu on Etsy, Born 'Molly' Flats

New Beauty Buys

I rarely buy makeup, and when I do it's by a middle-of-the road drugstore brand. I just don't wear a lot of makeup unless it's a special occasion; I just don't like all the fuss and reapplying things throughout my long day seems like added stress. That being said, I do wear makeup, I'm just very picky.

I was wandering around after work the other day and visited Sephora on a lark. The only times I feel like I ever step in there is to reapply my perfume while I'm shopping in that mall or picking up my free birthday gift (can't miss my free birthday cake scented body wash, can I?). I've been getting frustrated with my eyeliner; it smudges throughout the day so I look like I'm constantly crying. It's because I prefer pencil liner. I don't like liquid eyeliner because there is no room for error, I prefer to use it for fancy makeup and I feel like it's a bit dark for my fair skin and hair.

Well, I bought this:



Clinique Quickliner for the Eyes

Had the look of a pencil, but I knew it had to smudge. I made a line on my hand with the tester, read the box ("sets in 60 seconds"), thought "yeah right" and then attempted to smudge it with my finger. And it did not budge. I was in shock! I bolted over to the Clinique section and grabbed my usual color preference black/brown. I've been wearing it for a few days and while my "wings" aren't really visible by the end of my day there is NO smudging.

I was about to check out when another display caught my eye. Lip stuff! Ah lipstick. I love the IDEA of lipstick; I feel like lip color would look good on me since I don't think a lot of eye makeup looks good on me and my lips are naturally dark. However, I hate reapplying (remember how low-maintenance I am?) especially because I drink a lot of water throughout the day and don't want a gunky water bottle. I don't want to worry about lipstick drying out my lips, having it on my teeth, or having it wear off unevenly.

I still like trying it on, though.



Sugar Passion Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15

Here is Sephora.com's description:

What it is:
A lip treatment that protects the pout while offering a universally-flattering vibrant rouge tint.

What it does:
Sugar Passion Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 looks beautiful on all complexions, thanks to a well-balanced, warm-cool pigment that compliments the natural shade of a woman's lip, no matter her skintone. Sugar, a natural humectant, ensures long-lasting moisture while hydrating meadowfoam and black currant seed oils condition the lips. The formula is further enriched with antioxidant-rich vitamins to defend against wrinkle-causing free radicals and provides year-round protection from damaging UV rays. This versatile treatment allows for buildable coverage to customize a sheer or rich hue and is the perfect partner to the bestselling Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15.

If that was tl;dr, basically it's a sheer, buildable lip color that feels and applies like a chapstick. It's not sticky, it's moisturizing, and has spf. It also smells like lemon sugar, which is delicious.

The shopkeep also informed me that this color from Fresh is new, and there will be more gift sets featuring it around the holidays. They also make lip scrubs, which I wouldn't mind trying in the winter.

I highly recommend both of these products; next time you see a display for Clinique or Fresh I'd check them out.