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seriously the best tinted lip balm

9/19/2014

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I am the first to admit that I am a total novice when it comes to makeup artistry. That's why I love Birchbox so much. A cool box is shipped to me monthly and I get to try out things that I didn't even know existed. Like the amazing LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil.

My May Birchbox came with a sample size in coral and from the first time I put it on my lips I was smitten. A single swipe creates smooth and even color that lasts for hours (even while eating) and the moisturizing shea butter leaves your lips feeling incredibly soft. However, coral is not my favorite lip color, so I immediately went to the Birchbox store and ordered the bright rose pink, Beelzebub.
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Loved this LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil so much I ordered a second color #birchbox http://t.co/hLYceSPZqd | pic.twitter.com/1HmHhwnlyj

— practically stylish (@practicalstyl) May 28, 2014
Then, as luck would have it, I found out that my mom had gotten the much bolder purple color, Menatour, in her May box. She was not feeling adventurous enough to try it, so I swapped it for my coral sample. I had been wanting to try a purple lipstick for awhile, but hadn't investigated the options. I'm so glad I waited until I got the Menatour sample because it has turned out to be one of my favorite lip colors.
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I tried to take some photos of the lip lube actually on my lips, but despite my best efforts to adjust the lighting, I can't get a picture that is an accurate representation. The colors may look very bright and bold in the tube, but they are not quite that strong of a statement when they are on your lips. If you are looking for something different than your regular shade of red, these colors are fun without being crazy. Not sure which color is your favorite? Try them all with this gift set. The only downside to this lip lube is that it makes your lips look so great that you'll want to up your game for the rest of your makeup!
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guide to elegance: beach

9/17/2014

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It's time to review another section of Genevieve Antoine Dariaux's book, A Guide to Elegance! Since I am going through the book alphabetically not all of the topics will come around at the most ideal time. This is one those times. Today I will be discussing appropriate apparel to wear to the beach. Unless you live in a warm climate or have a vacation to one planned, this probably won't affect you until next year. Just as a reminder, although this book was reprinted with some updates in 2003, it was originally published in 1964. This post series is about looking to past fashion rules and seeing how or if they apply to the present. 

Beach attire is actually one category that I don't have many strong feelings about. It is very frustrating and difficult for me to find a bathing suit that I feel confident in so I am not one to create a lot of rules about what styles are appropriate. The most important thing (in my opinion) is to find a bathing suit that fits you and that you like, and if that isn't possible, to at least find something that you can stand being in for several hours.

There is only one point in this section on which Genevieve Antoine Dariaux and I are in agreement: 
"The bright primary colours (red, blue, yellow, and white) are fresher-looking in the sunlight than more subtle shades such as mauve, moss green, or mustard yellow, which most often seem merely muddy." (pg. 14)
Bright and cheery colors are perfect for the beach and they are also perfect for warm weather in general. Swimwear doesn't have to be versatile and it doesn't have to coordinate with any other pieces in your wardrobe so don't be afraid to go bold with your color and pattern choices.

Now onto the points I take some issue with. She outlines a strict regiment for ensuring perfect looking feet during the summer season. From my experience, no one is paying that much attention to your feet. I like to wear a bright nail polish color on my toenails, but that is pretty much the extent of my effort. Also, she suggests that red nail polish is the only appropriate color for warm weather because it "will harmonize with all the different colours in your summer wardrobe" (pg. 15). I suggest that you buy a bottle of nail polish remover and change your nail polish color whenever it strikes your fancy or to match a specific outfit. You may prefer to wear one color for the entire season, but it is up to you how bold (or not) you want that color to be. If you end up disliking it after awhile, it is easy to change.
"[U]nless your figure is absolutely impeccable, unless you are under twenty-one years old and your skin is golden brown, it is preferable to wear a one-piece bathing suit." (pg. 14)
There are so many styles of swimwear that to condense it down simply to one-piece versus two-piece is incredibly unhelpful. There are plenty of two-piece suits that can look great on women older than twenty-one and just as many one piece suits that can look terrible. A tankini is a two-piece, but can often offer as much coverage as a one-piece. And if you don't want that coverage? Then you should feel free to wear a bikini or a one-piece with cutouts. If your swimsuit shopping experience is anything like mine, you'll have to try on a lot of styles to find one you actually like. There is no reason to limit your options based on your age or physique. Beach weather is over for most of us, but soon enough swimsuits will be making a comeback in stores. When they do, don't be afraid to try a new style in a fun color!


Dariaux, Genevieve Antoine. A Guide to Elegance. New York: William Morrow, 2003. Print.
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housekeeping update: new search feature & domain name

9/16/2014

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This blog is nearly two years old which means that there is a fair amount of information hanging out in the archives. To make that more easily accessible, I have added a new search function to the bottom of the page that will help you find old content both here on practically stylish and on my lifestyle blog, bread and flowers. 

I have also acquired a new domain name for practically stylish. I am not moving over to the new address (yet), but the blog is already accessible from it. For those who wish to prepare for the inevitable (though likely still far in the future) URL switch, the future home of practically stylish will be at: www.practicallystyli.sh

Do you have any suggestions about how I can make this blog a better experience for my readers? Drop me a line! 
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how to make shopping fun

9/15/2014

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Why do people wear clothes that they don't like and that don't fit? Is it because A.) they don't want to spend the money on new pieces, B.) they are unhappy with their body, or C.) they find the whole shopping process exhausting and exasperating? Based on a very biased sample of people who talk to me about this issue, the answer is far and away C. Shopping feels like a chore for many people and one that doesn't always end with a positive or successful outcome. If it is going to be an unpleasant waste of time, it is easy to throw up your hands and give up. But I promise that shopping doesn't have to be that way. By changing how you approach the process it can actually be a fun experience and one that ends with your closet full of pieces that you love and feel great wearing.
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The biggest mistake that people make is to go shopping only when they need a specific item. This puts incredible pressure on to find exactly what you need when the stores just might not be stocking it. When I was working in retail, it was not uncommon to have clients come into the store on a Friday looking for a dress to wear to a wedding the next day. Often they were visiting from out of town and expected that Chicago stores would have a better selection than their hometown. But by shopping with a time constraint, their selection was limited by several factors. The first was that if we didn't have the size in stock, there was no longer the option to order it from another store. Another was that we might not be having any sales or promotions which meant that the perfect dress was now out of their price range. Since they were trying to buy something before the stores closed (which on Michigan Avenue was between 8 and 9pm), they didn't have time to comparison shop. Maybe they would have found the perfect piece at the perfect price at a store two blocks away, but because they were desperate to just buy anything, they never made it past the first store they went into. Compounding this problem was that they were trying to choose a dress that worked with the shoes and accessories that had brought along so they could avoid spending even more money on coordinating pieces.
While that example is extreme, many people wait until an old piece completely wears out before looking for a replacement or wait for a special occasion to buy fancy clothes. It is actually less stressful to always shop than to rarely shop. When you see pieces that you like, you should buy them even if there isn't an immediate need for them. That way you never are in the position where you have nothing to wear. Earlier this summer Boden had all of their dresses on sale for 50% off. I didn't specifically need new dresses, but I really liked two of them and the price was right so I bought them. That was back in June and one is the perfect piece to wear to a wedding early next month.
Of course, you should still use your judgment when buying things that catch your eye. You may fall in love with five different sequin evening gowns, but unless your social calendar includes at least five black tie events a year, you should probably hold off on purchasing them all. When deciding whether or not to buy something, ask yourself whether you can foresee yourself wearing it in the next six months and if you think you will still like it in six months. If you answer yes to both of those questions (and it is not a duplicate of something you already own), then you should go for it. These questions are especially important to ask when the item is incredibly inexpensive. It is easy to be blinded by the low price and not think about how useful the piece will be in the long run. 
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When you do find a great piece, there is always the temptation to buy multiples of it so that you never run out. While this inclination isn't entirely bad, it does need to be tamed. For example, if you find a pair of jeans that fit and then buy five pairs, those will be your only options when you want to wear jeans. If your weight or mood fluctuates and you no longer feel like amazing in those jeans, there is not another alternative in your closet. But if you buy only two pairs of that style and then continue shopping and find another style or two that you also like, you now have insurance against those fluctuations. The easiest way to keep a varied wardrobe is to shop in multiple stores. A long sleeved, crew neck cardigan from Ann Taylor will fit differently than one from Banana Republic. Even better would to get a crew neck cardigan from one store and a v-neck cardigan from another. Basically you want to avoid having any category of clothing dominated by a single style.

When you are shopping, don't be afraid to try on new things. Take an adventurous friend with you or enlist the help of the sales associates and have them pick out pieces for you. Commit to trying on everything they bring you, even if you are sure that you won't like it. If you don't pre-judge the items, you will open yourself up to discovering new styles that look incredible on you! Some of it will probably look not so great on you, but that's also okay. That's the reason that we try on clothes before we buy them.

If trying on clothes in a store is discouraging for you, try online shopping. I personally hate bra shopping, so I recently ordered several styles from Nordstrom. They offer free shipping and returns so there wasn't any pressure for me to keep the pieces if I hated them. I could try them on in the privacy of my home and see how they looked with various tops. If you often get pieces home from a store and find you don't love them as much as you did in the fitting room, then this is your solution. Zappos also offers free shipping both ways and except during big sales, so does Boden.
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For an in-store experience that is more leisurely, do your shopping during slow times, such as weekday mornings. You won't have to fight the other shoppers to find your size and you'll also benefit from having the full attention of the sales staff. If you have a favorite store, call them up a day or two before you want to go shopping and see if they can set up an appointment for you with a sales associate. Let them know what pieces you are looking for and your size so they can set aside some of their favorites for you to try on when you get there. If you build rapport with a sales associate, pass on your contact info along with a few notes about styles you are interested in. Ask if they can let you know when items arrive that they think you might like. They'll be thrilled to know they you will be a repeat customer!
By adjusting how you shop, you can avoid long and exhausting days hunting for an elusive item. When you need something, you will be able to head to your closet, not the mall, and find exactly what you need. Popping into the shops on a regular basis to window shop or browsing through inventory online lets you find the pieces you love without all the added stress-and I promise that it might even be fun.
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cozy fall looks

9/12/2014

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Fall has finally arrived! Even though this summer was not terribly hot here in Chicago, I am still absolutely thrilled to see the temperatures drop into the 40s and 50s. The air is crisp and you can wear lots of cozy layers. Of course, fall fashion comes in so many variations, so today I am compiling some of the styles I like best. 
teal and flannel

teal and flannel by practicallystylishblog featuring pointed cap toe flats
One of my favorite fall pieces is the down vest. It is warm as well as comfortable and it shows off your layering pieces. I love to throw on a patterned shirt under a solid colored vest to add some visual interest to an outfit. For the outfit above, I added a teal and pink flannel shirt and picked up those colors in the coordinating pieces. If color mixing is not your strong suit, start with a pattern you like and then use the the accent colors from the pattern for your accessories. 
dressed up denim

dressed up denim by practicallystylishblog featuring a nail polish
Blazers and light jackets rule supreme during fall because their weight often allows them to act as both outerwear pieces and indoor layering pieces. This is especially helpful when you are running errands and are dashing between the cool weather outdoors and the warmer temperatures of the stores. A thin sweater underneath prevents excess bulk as well as chills from sharp gusts of wind.
However, not every sweater needs a jacket layered over it. For a sunny day, a patterned scarf may be enough to keep you cozy and warm. Fall scarves do not need to be thick or knitted like their winter counterparts. Cotton blends should provide adequate warmth and also come in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
weekend style

weekend style by practicallystylishblog featuring button tops
Casual chic for last minute errands

Casual chic for last minute errands by practicallystylishblog featuring a burberry jacket
Another easy way to get into the fall spirit is by changing out your accessories. All of these outfits have bags in either brown leather or in a rich jewel tone. The shoes are also in subdued tones. While you don't have to pack up your bright and bold colors with your summer wardrobe, it is nice to embrace the deeper (and just as pretty) autumnal hues. 

What are your favorites activities to do in fall and what do you wear when you do them? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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