Inspired By: July's Best Selling Books

Since the last two months have been full of work events, my birthday, and other random things, I haven't been reading as much as I normally do. Now that August is a quiet month, I'm hoping to do more reading. 

I didn't have time to do one of these posts last month, so here's what I read June and July: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs is the second book in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series; it was full of strange adventures and vintage photographs and I really enjoyed it. 

Since I love The Lizzie Bennet Dairies Youtube series, I had to read The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet (see the Inspired By post) and it was absolutely wonderful. It's like going behind-the-scenes of the webseries because we see what happens when Lizzie isn't filming and get some extra tidbits. 

For Kristin's Novel Tea Book Club, we all read Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (read the Inspired By) and I loved this book. It's perfect for bibliophiles, the characters are so charming, and the plot is fascinating. 

Big Little Lies

{Click for item info}

Written by Liane Moriarty, this novel is about three mothers in three very different situations. Madeline is recently divorced and forgives no one, Celeste is a beautiful woman and likes that everyone stares, and single mom Jane and harbors doubts about her son. After the annual trivia night at their children's school, a parent is dead and the police are probing into their lives. 

Wear an outfit that looks like the candy-colored cover by putting on a teal blouse, a magenta skirt, a light blue satchel, and teal loafers. Or for something a little more relaxed, wear a candy-colored necklace, a blue chambray dress, and white sandals. 

Buy the book: B&N | Amazon | Goodreads

Think Like A Freak

Written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, the authors of Freakonomics, present a book on a new way to solve problems that ranges from lifehacks to global reforms. It's all about looking at your problems in a new light and thinking like a Freak. 

For a sophisticated look, go for an orange dress, black earrings, a black cuff, black heels, and orange lip stick. Or be casual in an orange tee, white jeans, a blue necklace, and olive wedges. 

Buy the book: B&N | Amazon | Goodreads

The Fortune Hunter

Written by Daisy Goodwin, this novel is about a nineteenth century love triangle between Empress Elizabeth of Austria, Captain Bay Middleton, the finest horseman in England, and Charlotte Baird, a clever and plainspoken heiress. This complicated love story could threaten all of their futures. 

Wear a classic look: a black fedora, a light blue blazer, a black dress, and black and nude wedges. Or for a modern modern outfit, go for a burgundy wide brim hat, a star necklace, a black maxi dress, bracelets, a heart ring, and strappy pointed flats. 

Buy the book: B&N | Amazon | Goodreads

California

Written by Edan Lepucki, California follows Cal and Frida who leave Los Angeles after everything they've known is gone. They decide to live out in the wilderness by themselves, despite the hardships, but when Frida discovers she's pregnant they realize they can't do it alone and seek the nearest settlement. But they realize that this community also has secrets. 

When out in the wilderness you need to be comfortable, so wear a a chambray shirt, a graphic tee, sunglasses, distressed jeans, and cut-out wedges. Or instead go for a stripe and palm tree print shirt, jean shorts, a flower bracelet, and green sneakers. 

Buy the book: B&N | Amazon | Goodreads

What did you read this month?

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Ipsy Glam Bag {July 2014}

Yay another Ipsy Glam Bag! This month's theme was sensationally sunkissed, so it was all of about being out in the sun and easy products that let you put them on and go. Besides one product that I'll never use, this is one of my favorite bags. I adore the products I received and have been using them ever since I opened the package. Also, this pink scalloped bag is the cutest thing ever! I'm currently using it to hold some on-the-go make up in my purse. 

What I got:
♥ bareMinerals 5-in-1 Cream Eye Shadow in Divine Wine (full size $18, sample $3)
♥ Benefit They're Real Mascara (full size $23, sample $10)
♥ Elizabeth Mott Tints & Sass Lip & Cheek Stain in Cherry (full size $23)
♥ Lavilin Jojoba Gel Cream (full size $21, sample $3)
♥ Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil (full size $12, sample $3)

This bag is worth $42!

MINI REVIEWS

bareMinerals 5-in-1 Cream Eye Shadow in Divine Wine

This is my favorite product of the bunch. I didn't think I was going to like this because I have oily eyelids and cream eye shadows tend to crease on me, but this was wonderful. It's long-wearing, it has a primer built into it, has SPF, and I think the dark brown taupe color is gorgeous. There's also a very subtle gold shimmer. It's wet when first applied, but dries quickly and doesn't budge at all. I'm definitely going to get the full size version. 

Benefit They're Real Mascara

I used to not wear mascara, but I've been converted. This mascara made my lashes look so long! It doesn't clump or flake and it's easy to put on for a mascara newbie like me. I see why this mascara is so popular. I'll be getting a full size of this too. 

Elizabeth Mott Tints & Sass Lip & Cheek Stain in Cherry

Cheek and lip stains get either be really good (easy to blend, looks real) or really bad (streaky, looks fake), and this one is really good. I just dab it a few times on my cheeks and blend it for a nice rosy glow. I'm not sure if it stays all day on me since I have oily skin, but it lasts for a long time. I like that the applicator looks like a lip gloss wand, so it's easy to apply. This tint also has a sweet, cupcake scent. 

Lavilin Jojoba Gel Cream

This gel cream has a fresh, subtle scent that blends really well into the skin, doesn't leave a sticky or oily residue, and it instantly made my skin soft. I'm serious, I've been using it on my hands and they're so soft now. It's meant to be used after physical activity because the jojoba is meant to help restore what your body lost from working out. 

Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil

This I can definitely see myself never using. I never tan or use fake tanners. It's not that I wouldn't, but let's be honest I'm lazy and don't want to spend my time exfoliating my skin, rubbing my skin with tanner, and waiting for it to dry. This oil is for people who are already tan because it's supposed to enhance the tan while also providing sun protection. So this is not the right product for me. 

What did you get in your Ipsy bag?

Any new products you tried this month?

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Outfit: Best of Westchester Party

I went to the Best of Westchester Party for work last Wednesday. It was a party at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, NY overlooking the Long Island Sound. This party celebrated the best restaurants and services in Westchester, so there were local restaurants, musicians, salons, and more. There was so much amazing food, a small monkey that you could take a picture with, a drag queen, a food truck, you could get a massage, get hair extensions, and dance upstairs in the Vodka Lounge. It was incredible! I used my new camera to take pictures for work while eating sushi and candy, live-tweeting, and posting to Instagram. 

I actually bought this dress two years ago with my friend Jackie at Target, but for some reason never wore it even though I like the print mixing, the ruffles, and the pockets. I think one reason is because I've always been self-conscious about my arms, so I tend to stay away from sleeveless dresses. But I knew the day of the party it was going to be hot and muggy, and there was no way I was going to wear a sweater over it. So I just wore the dress like you see in the pictures and the world didn't end. Now I want to wear more sleeveless pieces I own without worrying what people think. 

Dress: Target (old) | Bag: Old Navy | Heels: Payless

Bracelet: gift | Lipstick: Revlon Lip Stain in Sweetheart

Are you self-conscious about a part of your body?

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Review: Piccing App

I was asked to give my first impression of the Piccing app. I'd never heard of the app before, so I was curious about it. The best way to describe it is: Pinterest where you can both pin (or picc) and buy things.

Here's how it works: First download the free app. After making a profile, you can "picc" pictures from the homepage or from browsing all of the various categories. Piccing a picture means that it's on your profile (much like pinning a picture to your Pinterest board). You can also search for any kind of picture imaginable using the search bar, like lipstick or braid. If you want to add a picture, you can upload one on the website or from the app. 

Some of the pictures are also "marked" with little orange circles. This means that you can tap a mark and browse similar items, like a plaid shirt or glasses or a floral skirt. See something you like in a picture? Tap the mark, browse the items, click on any item you want, and it will take you to the site  (out of the app) where you can buy it. 

You can also "mark" pictures yourself, but I think the app needs an update because it wouldn't let me mark anything. It was just a blank white page. 

What I like: I think this is a fun Pinterest-like app where you can picc pictures of inspiration for later and also buy similar items all in one app. It's easy to use and browse and I like looking through all of the pictures, especially home decor and fashion. 

What needs work: I currently can't mark any pictures. When an picc is marked, some of the items that you can browse aren't similar to what's in the picture. In a home decor picture, a floral pillow was marked, but there was also toilet seats and non-floral pillows marked for that picture. It would be better if the items you browse were more similar to the item marked in the picture.  

Website | App | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Will you try this app?

What new apps are you using right now?

**This post is sponsored by Piccing, but all opinions are my own.**

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Suitcase Essentials with Vegas.com

I'm more of a sit at home and read a book or hang out with my friends in a coffee shop type girl, but if given the chance I would take a trip to Las Vegas. Vegas.com reached out to me to share my suitcase essentials, or #AriaEssentials, if I were to stay at their classy and luxurious Aria hotel. 

Well, one usually associates Vegas with dancing, casinos, and bright lights, and I would definitely do that too (you only live once, right?), but I would also go to Vegas to eat (Aria has a Five50 Pizza Bar and Bar Mesa), to swim (they have three pools!), and to see amazing shows (like Cirque du Soleil's "Zarkana"). You spend your money on more than just casino games in Las Vegas.

Here are some things I would pack in my suitcase:

• Printed dress 
• Shooties 
• Lightweight Scarf
• iPad
• Book 
• Notebook & Pen
• Wallet
• Skincare: Moisturizer, Sunscreen, Hand Sanitizer
• Makeup: Eyeliner, Lip Stain, Lip Balm, Illuminator / Blush
• Pouch to hold skincare and makeup

I would also include: my camera, facial wipes, deodorant, chargers, flats, and a cardigan. 

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What are your suitcase essentials?

*This post is sponsored by Vegas.com, but all opinions are my own.*

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Inspired By: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

When Kristin of My Life as a Teacup asked if I wanted to create outfits based on the characters of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, I immediately said yes! Kristin recently started the NovelTea Book Club, a group of wonderful, bookish women, and this is the first book club selection. 

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan is about Clay Jannon, a young man in San Francisco who starts working the night shift at a strange 24-hour bookstore owned by an even stranger old man named Mr. Penumbra. When certain patrons come in and don't have to pay for books, he realizes that this place is more than just a bookstore and that secrets lay underneath the book's dusty covers. 

Mr. Penumbra

{Mr. Penumbra}

Store owner Mr. Penumbra is an older man, who is a bit strange and eccentric, but he is also caring and kind and truly loves the store and all books. Mr. Penumbra is hiding a mysterious secret that has to do with the books on the tallest shelves, which lead him, Clay, Kat, and a few others to an underground lair in New York City that's full of more secrets.

Mr. Penumbra is first described by Clay wearing almost this exact outfit: a light gray button down, a blue cardigan, navy trousers, a gray watch, and blue flats. Stick to classic pieces like a gray peacoat, light blue blouse, a book necklace, black pants, a printed scarf, and black oxfords.

Clay Jannon

Clay Jannon is a young man out of a job, who one day stumbles in the store and gets a job working the night shift. It's unusual because he brings books from the Wayback (what he calls the tallest shelves) to the strange patrons who don't have to pay, and has to write down exactly what those patrons were wearing and how behaved. He starts to realize that there's more to the store than just books. 

For a casual look, wear a teal sweater, a yellow necklace, jeans, a gold watch, and blue sneakers. Or for a more laidback, geeky outfit, go for a blue plaid top, a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy tee, boyfriend jeans, a dragon bracelet, and white Converse. 

Kat Potente

Kat Potente is a smart, tech-obsessed young woman who works at Google and never stops thinking of interesting ideas and always wants to do more. She meets Clay after walking into the store one night. After Clay realizes that the books are hiding secrets, Kat uses her connections and the technology at Google to help Clay out. 

Clay first sees Kat wearing a red shirt with the word BAM! on it, so go casual in a chambray top, a red tee with a lightning bolt on it, jeans, a Hell Yeah. phone case, and red shoes. For a more put together look with spunk, wear a navy blue dress, a rhinestone necklace, a gold cuff, and striped wedges. 

Book Cover

The cover to Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is bright yellow with a white background and black words. Those yellow lines are actually books on a bookshelf, and the best thing is that the cover glows in the dark! For a fun summer look, wear a black cardigan, a yellow blouse, white cropped jeans, and striped yellow sneakers. Or get dressed up in a flirty yellow dress, a black necklace, yellow and nude clutch, and black wedges. 

Have you read this book?

What are you currently reading?

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Save the Undies with U by Kotex

Everyone has their favorites pair of undies. I know I do. Mine usually have a cute print, like dainty flowers or mini hearts with lace at the top, and are so comfortable and make me feel confident. Those are the best pairs, right? Well, nothing is worse than when one of my favorite pairs of underwear is ruined because of that time of the month. U by Kotex® is fixing all that, but first let me tell you my story. 

I love a good pair of luxurious undies, and by luxurious I mean super soft. I had a pair of underwear years ago that had the perfect amount of stretch, they were a light pink color with little flowers, and I loved them as much as anyone can love a pair of pretty underwear. Well, that pretty underwear no longer looked so pretty with a red stain on it. And only last month, another pair (though it wasn't as pretty because it was nude-colored) got ruined as well. Maybe I move too much in my sleep, but it still sucks when my pads can't capture everything and end up making a stain. 

I wish I'd known about U by Kotex® pads with 3D Capture Core before now! What is the 3D Capture Core you ask? Well, it's a unique concave-shaped center that helps to capture liquid better to stop leaks. Genius, right? U by Kotex® has various types of pads depending on what you like or need: Ultra Thin Pads with 3D Capture Core, Cleanwear® pads, AllNighter® pads, and Security pads.

U by Kotex® is a brand that will help you save the undies! It's important to have reliable feminine care because I can't always be buying new underwear. I have to save my pennies for more important things, like shoes and food. If you want to try out U by Kotex®'s new 3D Capture Core pads, you can get a free sample and join the mission to save the undies.

U by Kotex | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | FREE SAMPLE

Do your feminine care products have you covered?

How do you Save the Undies?

*The article is sponsored by U by Kotex® Pads, but all opinions are my own.*

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Outfit: A French Affair

I wore this to work on a cooler day last week. I like the subtle mix of stripes and leopard with fun rhinestone embellishments. Definitely made regular ol' jeans a little more professional. 

Also, if you're thinking of getting a bucket bag, you should get this Old Navy one; it's not too big and not too small, and the faux leather is so soft and supple. I decided to buy this bag because I wanted a crossbody bag that fit my iPad and all my other essentials. For months, I've been using my small blue bag and carrying my iPad, but that was getting really annoying. 

Have you guys been watching Welcome to Sweden? Two episodes have aired in the U.S. already and it's hilarious. Greg Poehler aka Amy Poehler's brother based this series on his own life about how he moved to Sweden for his girlfriend. In the show, Greg plays Bruce, and it shows all the strange and funny things that happens when you move to a different country, don't know the language, and have to live with your girlfriend's parents for a while. I would definitely recommend it!

Sweater: Loft | Jeans: American Eagle | Flats: Target

Watch: Fossil | Bag: Old Navy | Lipstick: CoverGirl Smoochies in #Luv U

Any new TV shows you've been watching? 

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