Outfit: Fall Colors

Now that it's officially fall (the crowd cheers and applauds), I've been wearing these quintessentially autumn colors (burgundy, navy, brown, and olive) as much as possible. Really I wear these colors all year round, but somehow wearing them in the fall is even better. Burgundy and navy will forever be two of my favorite colors to wear; in addition to purple and black. 

I can't believe I haven't shown off this necklace before now because I got it from Jackie back in August when I visited her and have worn it many times. She gave it to me for my birthday and I love it! I think it's so unique -- there are dandelion seeds inside and a little charm that says, "Wish." Thanks, Jackie! 

Jacket: via Poshmark | Dress: Kohls | Belt: thrifted

Necklace: Villa Sorgenfrei (gift) | Bag: Old Navy {similar} | Flats: Target

What are your favorite fall colors?

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Books & Looks: Jess

Say hello to Jess! Not only is this is Books & Looks, but this is 

also her sponsor spotlight post!

I'm finally doing a Books and Looks! It sure took me a while, but now that the weather has turned in my favor, I can bust out my normal attire. Which is blazers, cardigans, boots, and hats! Anyways, I'm Jess from Bookworms in Dresses and picking a favorite book is so hard for me! I love all the books on my shelf! (Well, 98% of them.)

Book: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

The book I chose for my favorite is House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. He also wrote The 50 Year Sword, which is another of my favorites. You've probably heard of House of Leaves before and perhaps someone has even recommended it to you. That's how I first heard of the book. Someone asked me if I had ever read it before, and then proceeded to tell me that I HAD to read it. ASAP. So of course, I went out and got myself a copy and hunkered down, thinking that this book was huge and it would take me forever to read....well....I was wrong on that count. I blew through this book, though I did have to take breaks just to sit and let the book sink in a bit. 

House of Leaves is a story that can really pull you in, and I like that in a book. Heck, you really start to believe that everything in the book is real. You might even get an itch to start measuring the walls in your house to make sure that they all line up right and you aren't missing an inch here or there. I mean, the book is that good. It's written in a very, very, very unconventional style with some pages only having one or two words on them. Some words being in red or blue, and different fonts for different sections. It's all very alluring to a book nerd like me. Speaking of, The 50 Year Sword is like that too, very unconventional, and another killer story as well. 

Look: My style is pretty down to earth most of the time. I own a lot of grey, black, and browns. Boots with socks + jeans is my fall and winter staple outfit choices. I also love to add a little pop of color with a scarf or a beanie! Also, have I mentioned before that I love raw cut stones? So pretty!!

I almost want to give House of Leaves another read, and see if it still has the same impact on me that it did back when I first read it. I also want to see what else Danielewski has written and get my hands on those books as well. I know there is something called The Whalestoe Letters, which is actually a part of House of Leaves. I almost want to read those separate from the book. 

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Thank you, Jess!

Have you read House of Leaves?

Want to be a part of Book & Looks? Pick your favorite book and piece of clothing and take some pictures, then email me at sara.strauss8922@yahoo.com with the subject "Books & Looks". In the email, include: four to five pictures (preferably horizontal), a paragraph or two about why it's your favorite book and why it's your favorite piece of clothing, and three social media links. 

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Ipsy Glam Bag {Sepember 2014}

P.S. -- Check out my blog post on Bibliosmiles!

It's Ipsy time! This month's theme is street style, so that you can, I'm assuming, look like a cool bad ass. Well, I'm up for looking like a cool bad ass, so I was happy to try all of these products and for the most part I loved all of them, but read on for more details. 

What I got:

Alterna Caviar CC Hair Perfector (full size $25, sample $8)

Pacifica Natural Minerals Waterproof Eyeliner in Gun Metal (full size $11)

Hikari Lipstick in Cabernet (full size $13)

Crown Brush Duet Brush (full size $7)

Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser (full size $14, sample $3)

This month's bag is worth $42!

MINI REVIEWS

Alterna Caviar CC Hair Perfector 

To be honest, I only used it twice so far, but I really like it. It's a thick hair cream that's supposed to add moisture and shine while making your hair more manageable AKA get rid of frizz. It reminds me of Suave's Sleek Anti-Frizz cream. It has a nice subtle scent and a lot of this cream goes a long way. I would definitely consider purchasing this. 

Pacifica Natural Minerals Waterproof Eyeliner in Gun Metal 

I was a little hesitant at first to try this because I'm not much a metallic eyeliner girl, but pencil is more like a gray-silver. It's subtle enough to not be crazy, but it's still metallic and fun. It stays put all day and goes on smooth. I've been wearing a little bit under my bottom lashes. 

Hikari Lipstick in Cabernet 

Wow this lipstick! It's a gorgeous berry red color, it goes on very smooth, it's not drying at all (though I wouldn't call it very moisturizing), and it even turns into a bit of a stain, which I like. I would love to try out another color that this lipstick comes in. 

Crown Brush Duet Brush

Though I wasn't over the moon at getting a brush, I do like that this is a double-sided one and that the synthetic fibers are super soft. It picks up a good amount of product. 

Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser 

I generally prefer foaming cleansers, but this moisturizing one is really nice. I think one that moisturizes is good for this transitioning weather since my skin gets dry when the seasons change. It makes my skin feel fresh and smooth afterwards and not tight, but despite the fact that it says fragrance-free I could detect a smell and I don't find it very pleasant. It is a very subtle scent, but I didn't like it. My mom however says that she thought it smelled nice, so you might like it, you might not. 

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DIY Blog Hop + Giveaway!

I'm going to start by putting this out there: I'm terrible at sewing. I've never really used a sewing machine, but I was all ready to use my mini red sewing machine for this project when I discovered that the batteries inside had corroded. I couldn't get it open to put in new batteries. So all of the stitch work you see is done by hand, but I'm still happy with what I created and proud of myself for doing it. 

Now that that's out of the way, I wanted to join this DIY sewing blog hop because I want to get better at sewing and hemming my pants and maybe even make make a skirt or two for myself. It all starts with one project and I can only get better, right? 

In case you didn't know September is National Sewing Month! So if you're thinking of getting your sewing machine out, now is the time to do it! Not only can you get inspiration from the other bloggers in this link up (Literate & Stylish, October June, The Modern Austen, and Syntaxx Errorrr), but Kristin's company Create by the Yard is letting everyone get 30% all fabrics with the code bloghop0914! 

Create by the Yard has a large selection of high-quality fabrics, including organic and recycled fabrics, that can't be found in large retailers. She has reliable customer service and super fast shipping (I got my fabric in just a few days). Kristin wants her store to be seen as a fun and trendy place to shop, and I completely agree with that!

For this project, I decided to create a mini travel case. Something that I could both pop into my purse to keep everything organized, and for when I travel. 

Tutorial:

Materials Needed: Two coordinating fabrics, thread, needle, ribbon (two different colors if you want), paper, pen, stray pins. Optional: Crayon fabric marker (the white thing in the picture) and music. 

1. Make a rough outline on paper of how big you want your travel case to be. I liked the size of this notebook, so I used that to help make the outline. Then cut out the outline. 

2. Cut your interior fabric using your outline as a guide. Be sure to cut the fabric half an inch all around than you want, just in case you need to make adjustments. You can always cut it later. I double up on the fabric to make it thicker. 

3. Using more of your interior fabric, cut out your pockets to the size that you want. As you can see, I doubled up the fabric too, and then sewed the top over to make a nice edge. Unfortunately, I didn't think the sew over the sides of the pockets, so they have a raw edge. 

4. Sew the pockets to the rest of the interior fabric you cut out before. One pocket I left alone, so that it's one big pocket, but the other I sewed lined down here and there, so that I could have a place for lip balm or other small things. 

5. Grab your exterior fabric and cut it out to make the size and shape of the interior fabric. Then cut your ribbon to the length you want, pin it to the middle of the back, and sew a small rectangle to keep it in place. 

6. I decided to use my burgundy ribbon to create a nice, smooth edge. I pinned it in place one side at a time. The 7/8" thickness was perfect for folding it over and sewing it around the edge. If you don't want a ribbon edge, you could just fold it over and sew it in place. 

7. All done! Now you can your mini travel case to keep your lip balm, USBs, lipsticks, small notebooks, iPhone, and whatever else you carry around with you. 

Giveaway!

This giveaway runs until 9/29 and is open internationally. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you sewed anything lately?

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Inspired By: Gotham

Who else watched the first episode of Gotham? It premiered this past Monday on FOX at 8pm EST. It wasn't mind-blowingly amazing, but I did really like it. It's a prequel to Batman (who is just a kid in the show), so the story is dark and gritty and has some pretty bad ass baddies. I'm excited to see where the story goes and to get to know the characters more. 

Detective Jim Gordon

{Jim Gordon}

Detective Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is a new detective in the city of Gotham. He's a good guy in a bad city surrounded by worse people, but he doesn't let them deter him from being who he is and wanting to change the system for the better. He comforts Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) after his parents die and promises to find the killer.

Detectives have a "uniform," so wear a navy jacket, a navy blazer, a white blouse, jeans, and black oxfords. Or instead throw on a black and white top, navy trousers, two gold bangles, and black loafers. 

Fish Mooney

Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a gang boss who likes to get her way without messing up her red-tipped hair. She friend's with Jim Gordon's new partner, Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), but that doesn't mean she picks favorites. She'll kill you no matter what. 

Fish Mooney is sexy and attention-grabbing, so wear a dark metallic dress with pearl earrings, a studded black belt, and cut-out booties. Or wear a flowy halter dress, red lipstick, a red buckle belt, and ankle-strap heels. 

Selina Kyle

Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) is a young woman who lives on the streets. She survives by committing petty theft and by using her quick, cat-like reflexes. She may be a criminal, but she still has a good heart. She's the only one, besides Bruce, who say the murder of his parents. 

While living on the streets it's good to layer up for warmth, so put on a baseball cap, round sunglasses, black leather jacket, a gray hoodie, black jeans, and black sneakers. Or wear a black moto jacket, a gray tee, distressed gray jeans, studded black booties, and round sunglasses. 

Penguin & Riddler

Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) is a criminal who starts off working for Fish Mooney. He's a bit touchy about the fact that he walks in a penguin, so one mention of it and he might cut your throat. Dress like him by wearing a green-cuffed black blazer, a purple top, black jeans, and black oxfords. 

Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) works for the Gotham police department as a coroner. He 's smart and likes telling riddles, but it annoys everyone else who works with him. Go for a mismatched look by wearing a striped blazer, a white sleeveless blouse, blue plaid pants, and light green flats. 

Do you like Batman?

Did you watch the show?

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Books & Looks: Hannah

Say hello to Hannah!

Book: Making History by Stephen Fry

I have novels that I love as I’m reading them, and will stay in my favourites list long after finishing, but my enduring love-affair is with the illustrious Mr Fry’s third novel. It concerns a historian who alters time with the help of a scientist with a heavy conscience and makes it so Adolf Hitler was never born. The consequences are not what you expect. It manages to tap into my loves of alternate universes, discovering yourself and unexpected love, and, let’s be honest, history. It certainly helped that I first read this book while studying history at university and the World Wars were my specialist subject.

If you’re familiar at all with Stephen Fry’s rambling, glittering prose then this novel is a lovely example of how he wraps uses it to convey jarred world views that aren’t always because of a shift in reality (my personal favourite: WHATNOW lament of the graduate). Sometimes it switches to television style script too, as if the whole story is being directed by fate from a desk somewhere. It’s occasionally subversive, but I urge you to give this one a try.

Look: My look has been described as Disney-princess-goes-punk (thanks, friends). I think it might be to do with my insistence on pairing pretty dresses with big boots. Perhaps the tattoos help too! I just love having something a bit feminine, but without being too ladylike. Plus, who wears dainty ballet shoes in a mosh pit? Someone looking for broken feet, that’s who. My go-to dress is H&M and covered in a print of little safety pins; it’s what I wear when I want to be comfortable but still close to my favourite kind of style. And they have pockets, so this dress holds my heart forever! My boots I bought cheap so if they got ruined at a festival it wouldn’t be a big deal, but they’re still knocking around three years later! Sometimes DMs are just too cumbersome. If I am any kind of punk at all, in this outfit I’m a bloody comfy one!

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Thank you, Hannah!

Have you read Making History?

Want to be a part of Book & Looks? Pick your favorite book and piece of clothing and take some pictures, then email me at sara.strauss8922@yahoo.com with the subject "Books & Looks". In the email, include: four to five pictures (preferably horizontal), a paragraph or two about why it's your favorite book and why it's your favorite piece of clothing, and three social media links. 

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