The 7 Jewelry Essentials

As most people know, one of the easiest ways to transform an outfit is to add jewelry.  This along with the fact that jewelry is so easy and fun to buy means that most of us end up with a random assortment of jewelry.  Sure, it's fun to have a jewelry box overflowing, but also makes it difficult to find/decide what jewelry to wear.

Having a few pieces of classic jewelry that you know you can wear with most of your clothing makes getting ready easiest.  If you have just a few pieces, you'll be able to invest a little more money and get better quality pieces that will last longer.  As much as I like the trendy pieces places like H&M, this kind of jewelry doesn't have the same weight or feel as nicer jewelry.

I've put together a list of the 7 essential pieces of jewelry that I think would fit well into almost any female's wardrobe.  I tend to buy jewelry slowly waiting until I find pieces that are exactly what I want, so while I have most of these, a few of them are still on my list.

1. While pearls are included on almost every list of basic jewelry, they really are perfect for almost any nice occasion.  Besides just having a pearl necklace, I'd also suggest getting pearl earrings and a pearl bracelet as well.  Although you wouldn't wear all three at the same time, you'll have the option of wearing differing combinations.  I find that I can wear pearl earrings on an almost daily basis.

2. The next piece is hoop earrings.  Whether you want gold or silver depends on which metal you wear the most.  One good thing about hoops is that they are easy to wear with both causal and dressy outfits.

3. Another pair of earring that are essential are diamond or rhinestone studs.  These really can be worn with almost any outfit.  Instead of having to spend time in the morning picking out earrings to go with your outfit, you can almost always be certain that these will work with whatever you're wearing which is great when you remember you need earrings as you're running out the door.

4. While the other pieces I've included in this list are fairly basic, costume jewelry can really add personality to an outfit.  One or two pieces of really special costume jewelry can make a neutral outfit into something much more.  Take a look through vintage shops to find your perfect pieces.

5. The next piece is more personal as well.  A charm bracelet isn't exactly a dressy piece, but it is a piece that you can personalize to suit yourself.  You can pick out charms for yourself and add them to create a piece that no one else has.  This kind of jewelry is perfect for causal outfits.

6. If you don't have any of the other jewelry pieces on this list, you still really do need a nice watch.  I know that most people, including me, probably use their cell phones to keep up with the time, but in some places you shouldn't pull out your phone just to check the time.  You should have a watch because being on time is usually important!

7. Finally, I would image that most of you already have the final piece, dangling earrings.  These kinds of earrings are especially good to wear when you have your hair pulled back or in an updo for an elegant look.


Are there any essentials that you think I've left off this list?  I know that it leans heavily on earrings, so for those who don't have pierced ears, there might be some other pieces that are more important.  What do you think?

How to Save Stinky Shoes

You know those cute shoes you have that you have that you can't wear socks with? Shoes like your ballet flats, your Sperry's, or your moccasins. Eventually, those shoes get stinky, and usually there's no good way to wash them without risking ruining your favorite shoes! Well, I have found a solution for you. All you need is a little baking soda.

Take your shoes and sprinkle baking soda onto the soles until the soles are covered. You might want to go outside or put some newspaper under the shoes while you're sprinkling to prevent a mess. Then, let the baking soda sit in the shoes for a few days (I only let mine sit for a day). Once you're satisfied that the shoes have sat long enough for the baking soda to soak up any odor, you can either shake your shoes out outside, or you can vacuum up the baking soda. I would suggest doing both. After you shake and vacuum your shoes out, they should smell good as new!

I tried this baking soda trick with my Sperry's and was delighted with the results. It was much more effective and easier on my shoes than using the washing machine. My shoes were a little fuzzy on the inside, so the baking soda really settled into the material. I'm not sure if this may have been why the baking soda worked so well, so try it out for yourself and let us know what you think!

How to Save Stinky Shoes 

The Shoes That Every Girl Needs (part 2)

A few weeks ago, I did a post called The 5 Shoes that Every Girl Needs.  However, I do realize that every girl doesn't need exactly the same kind of shoes depending on where you live and what your own personal tastes are.  So with a few suggestions, I've made another list.  The shoes on this list are more fun and not quite so basic as the ones on the previous list.  If you have all of the basics, this a a good list to help you build your shoe collection.  If you can only buy a few shoes, then it helps to have an idea of what kind of shoes you really want.

1.  The first type of shoe that I would suggest is a ballet flat that is flexible and can be put in your bag for occasions when you need to switch from heels to flats when you need to walk for a long distance.  I own a pair from Gap which are so comfortable that I tend to wear them all the time, not just for switching for walking.  Because they are flexible, they seem more comfortable than normal flats already are.

2.  While rain boots aren't necessary, I would suggest them if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain and you have to walk places often.  Rain boots work for college students like me, but if you feel like you want something more grown-up, you can always go for actual boots if you make sure that you get boots that are waterproof.  I still love wearing my pink and brown rain boots with my matching umbrella.  It seems to make rainy days more enjoyable. 

3.  Since summer is about to start, wedge heels are a great choice for cute summer shoes.  Wedge heels go perfectly with sundresses which are a summer staple in most girls' closets.  They are also easier to walk in than normal heels as well.  We all know that sprained ankles are not a good way to start off the summer.

4.  I'm sure that by now everyone knows what TOMS are.  For every TOMS shoe that you purchase, the company will donate one pair to a child in need (find out more at toms.com.)  You can't miss these shoes because it seems like almost everyone has a pair now.  TOMS are perfect for casual outfits.  At the moment, I really like the sparkly TOMS.  I recently saw the pink pair for the first time, and now I don't know which one of the colors to choose.  For those who don't like so much shine, there are plenty of other choices.

5.  Another good choice for summer is a fun pair of sandals.  I don't think this one needs any explaining.  Summer = sandals.

6.  The last suggestion for today is peep toes.  I have to say that I don't wear peep toes because I don't like the way that my toes look in them.  However, they can be wonderful for times when you need something less formal than your normal high heels, but you still want something fun.  Also, if you keep your toes pedicured, you should show them off in peep toes as often as possible!

I realize that all of the options that I've shown are fairly common since I tend to stick with classics when it comes to shoes.  Does anyone enjoy following trends in footwear?  What is the craziest pair of shoes that you own?  For me, it's a pair of polka-dotted flats.  Like I said, I'm not very adventurous with shoes.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Sharing: Curling Hair Tutorial by Amy at Karmincovers

photo via weheartit

Several weeks ago Jennifer did a post on how to style curly hair fast.  While this method works if you have crazy, wildly curly hair (which we both do,) if you don't have naturally curly hair, it's not going to work so well for you.
A week or two ago, one of my friends sent me a link to a video on youtube entitled How to Rock a Mohawk Without Chopping Your Hair Off.  Naturally, after reading such a title, like any good friend I was slightly concerned when my friend mentioned that she wanted to try doing the hairstyle in the video.  However, despite the name, the hairstyle in the tutorial is actually rather cute.  It looks more like a complicated updo than a mohawk.

However, back to curling hair.  The girl in the video, Amy who is half of the musical duo Karmin, also has a tutorial for girls with straight hair who want natural looking curls.  She uses a method with a curling iron that I've never seen anyone use before.  I haven't had a chance to try this out for myself  but looking at her end result is amazing!

Personally, I tend to use hot rollers rather than a curling iron just because it's so much faster to use hot rollers. Usually Jennifer and I use Remington H9000 Pearl Ceramic Heated Clip Hair Rollers

Also, while you're checking out her hair tutorials, I would suggest listening to some of the covers that her band does.  Amy has an amazing voice (in addition to her beautiful hair.)

That's all for today.  Good luck trying out curly hair!

Hello from London!

Hi everyone!  I'm currently on my spring break, and I'm taking a visit to London.  I found this photo through pinterest.com several days ago, and I thought that you might enjoy looking at it. 

  

I think that the image is originally from The Wedding Chicks.  While I'm not too concerned about the wedding part, I really love the combination of the red in the dress with the red from the phone booth behind.  Then, there's Big Ben in the background.  So cute! 

Hopefully, I'll have a bit to share about my travels when I get back. 

Have a lovely day!

What to Do After You Wash Your Sperrys and the Laces Won't Go Back Into the Holes

If you have ever attempted to wash your Sperrys, you either left the laces in the shoes, thus ruining your laces or took them out and now have no idea how to get them back into the shoes. I did the second one, and my solution was to put ribbons in the place of the laces since they are thin enough to double over and still fit through the eyelets. I will take you through the steps of how I got the ribbon through the holes.


You will need ribbon, clear nail polish, tape, and a large bobby pin.

1. Thread the ribbon in between the two prongs of the bobby pin and push the ribbon down to the closed end.
2. Tape the end of the ribbon so that the ribbon forms a loop around the closed end of the bobby pin. Then, the ribbon will stay on when you pull it through the loops. The ribbon and bobby pin should resemble a needle and thread.
3. After you have the bobby pin and ribbon attached, you can slide the bobby pin into the eyelets and pull them through.

The solution is much prettier than my previous solution of simply lacing the shoes with old leather shoe strings in the front.

The 5 Shoes That Every Girl Needs

It is widely acknowledged that most women love shoes.  The average woman has anywhere from 15 to 60 shoes depending on which survey you decide to count.  However, what if you simply don't have the space for this many shoes or you just don't want to be bothered by so many? I've come up with a list of the absolutely essential minimum of shoes that should be in your closet.  After all, 5 certainly isn't too difficult to handle.

1- Black ballet flat - These are wonderful because you can wear these every day with almost any outfit.  You will look stylish while wearing these, and your feet will be much happier than if they spent the entire day in heels.  If you feel that you don't have enough cushioning in flats, you can always add inserts for even more comfy-ness.

2- Black high heels - These will be your more dressed-up shoes.  Again, I suggest black here.  However, you can possibly get away with buying these in any neutral color.  Black is just the simplest to choose and match.  The most important thing about buying your black high heels is that they must fit you perfectly and they must be as comfortable as possible.  If you have to spend more on this basic pair, it will be worth it in the long run.

3- Gladiator sandals - These may seem more like a passing trend than a basic that every girl should have in her closet.  However, if you are careful not to buy a pair too trendy and wild, you will be able to wear this through several seasons.  Gladiator sandals are perfect for casual outfits, but can easily be transformed to go with more dressy outfits as well.  If you are only going to own one pair of sandals, they should be gladiators.

4- Black strappy high heels - In addition to your pair of basic black high heels, you should add a pair of strappy heels.  For times when your black high heels feel too formal, but your gladiator sandals just aren't quite enough, these high heels can fill the gap.  I generally suggest wearing these with summer dresses, of course.

5- Tennis Shoes - While not as much fun as the other shoes listed above, everyone should own a pair of tennis shoes or sneakers if that's what you call them (thanks to my Canadian friends for being confused when I mentioned tennis shoes.)  You need a pair of shoes that you can wear while working out or for circumstances in which you find yourself being dragged on a hike.  Plus, quite simply sometimes your feet just need a break.  After all, they work very hard for you each day.

I realize that this list is slightly geared towards those who live in warmer climates because it lacks such essentials as winter boots.  You might need to adapt this list based on where exactly you live.  However, there are a few key points in picking out your own basics.  First, as you may have noticed every shoe that I have pictured is either brown or black.  This is because these colors work with almost everything in your closet.  After you have the basic covered, then you can move on to more fun colors.  You don't want to only own five shoes if one of them is in  a color that you can only wear with one outfit.  Second, don't be afraid to spend a bit more money on the basics.  Shoes can be expensive, but wearing shoes are well made will save your feet lots of pain.  You want your feet to be happy.

I plan to do another article soon on other classic shoes past the bare minimum that every girl should own.  Does anyone have any suggestions?