Splurge VS. Steal: M2Malletier & Forever 21!

Hi Fashionistas!

Whenever I find a dupe for a luxury item, I need to share it with the world. I do not care if you want to know or not, I will let you know even if you're not in the market for it. I just cannot keep my mouth shut! So many affordable brands are bringing us closer to high-end fashion by mimicking the designs. Now in no way am I insisting you always buy the dupes, you should splurge a little and treat yourself, but in college, ain't nobody got the time (or money) for that! Also, when I say dupes, I DO NOT mean counterfeit items that you find from vendors on the streets. These are legit items from reputable stores that resemble the real luxury inspiration.

Today, I want to talk about the M2Malletier La Fleur Du Mal clutch. When I first saw this bag, I instantly fell in love. It looked completely funky and odd but I think that was what I loved about it! It wasn't your basic cross-body or tote, it had a freakin gold bar attached to it!

Unfortunately, the closest I have gotten to owning it was in my dreams! However a few days ago, I was casually browsing the accessories section when I saw a bag that resembled nothing other than the La Fleur Du Mal clutch. It did not look quite as "high-end" as the real thing but for $25 I thought it was a crazy steal!

I'm not going to lie, I still like the real thing from M2Malletier (HERE) a whole lot better but if you love the funky yet classy design but cannot afford the price tag, go for the Forever one (HERE) ...like why not?

I hope you enjoyed the post! Cannot wait to share my next Splurge VS. Steal with y'all! 

Beauty Chit Chat: Say Bye-Bye to Raccoon Eyes!

#14

♥How can I stop my eyeliner from breaking?
Eyeliners and lipliners are so frustrating to work with when they break and leave you with a stubby point. It's like a regular number 2 pencil... no one wants to use a dull one! If this happens to you a lot, put your pencils in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to applying. This will help prevent it from breaking on you in the middle of a cat-eye masterpiece.

♥What eye shadow colors are the best for dark skins?
This question is a bit hard. I have seen extremely talented make-up artists use the craziest colors on their eyes and still look flawless. I love doing make-up but one thing I never mess with is eyeshadow--it requires too much patience from me! My best advice is to use deep burgundies, plums, and copper tones for an understated look to complement your warm skin tone. If you are feeling a bit on the adventurous side, definitely play around with neon brights such as electric blues and purples!

♥How can I prevent my wing eyeliner from smudging?
This is so common! It is so easy to go from fierce to a raccoon throughout the day. If I am going to a special event or a party where I know I will sweat a bit, I like to line the top and bottom of my wing with concealer. It will take a few extra minutes but it is totally worth it! Apply some on a thin brush and sweep it underneath and above your wing, it acts like a lipliner for your eyes.

I hope these tips were helpful today! 

DIY: Affordable Wall Art!

Hi Friends!

I'm obsessed with DIY projects. I may be too lazy to do them all but I love watching videos and pictorials on them. During the summer and winter breaks, I love the late night Netflix and DIY sessions. I have been into making canvases for the past year and my apartment bedroom is full of them! I literally have seven hanging up on the walls of my little room and two outside in the living area.

With temporary apartments it is so difficult to decorate when your lease/contract does not allow you to do certain things and to be honest, it's not completely worth the money for one or two years...definitely not on a college budget!

An easy way to spice up any room is by displaying wall art whether it is pictures, canvases, or random frames with prints. Prints from Etsy or Amazon can cost you anywhere from $7-$25, but why pay that when you can DIY them yourself in under 10 minutes and for only $2!

You will need:

Photo printing paper

Printer

Frames

Pinterest

How To:

1.) Go on Pinterest.com and find a print you love (quotes, pictures, patterns, anything)
2.) Save the picture onto your desktop
3.) Resize the image to fit your chosen frame. I resized all of mine to 8 in. X 11.5 in. You can even alter the sharpness, color, and tone of your image at this step.
4.) Print the image onto photo paper and pop it into your frame!

I bought certificate frames from A.C. Moore which I later found at the Dollar Store for only a $1. The simplicity of the certificate frames is nice because it allows the print to shine and stand out. The best thing about this particular DIY is that I can change the print at anytime. I am so indecisive and grow bored of decor very quickly so I can now theme my living area according to my mood, occasion, and any holiday!

Hope you recreate your own! Have a great day! 

The Winter Blues...!

Happy New Year!

I hope you all a wonderful holiday! I desperately needed this break from school! I was able to spend great quality time with all my friends and family which felt necessary after the fall semester rollercoaster. I will be heading back to school in a few days and the craziness will once again begin. However, I know a nice degree will come at the end of it all so I have to keep reminding myself that "Punam you gotta do whatcha gotta do". 

For New Years, my cousin came to visit from North Carolina. She is a year older than me but we used to spend almost every single holiday together when we were younger. However, now as we are older and with her also being in pharmacy school, our conflicting schedules for the past 4 years made it so difficult to spend the New Years together. I am very thankful that it all worked out this year! 

She always comes up to my family home so this time I wanted to show her around the wonderful city of Philadelphia where I go to school. We celebrated New Years up there and did touristy things such as eat, see the Liberty Bell, eat some more, Love Park, eat until we couldn't fit into our pants, and go to Magic Gardens!

With the temps in the low 20s on our way to Magic Gardens it was a serious hassle to doll up and look cute. Thankfully when I opened my suitcase, I saw that I had packed my blue coat and a faux fur stool. This winter, colored coats inspired by men's blazers are very popular and luckily, if you head over to your Forever 21right now, there should be a huge selection on dramatic clearance. I bought this coat, amongst others, for only $14.99! With the holidays over with, stores are trying to get rid of the pre-Thanksgiving stock.

For the rest of the outfit, I wore a matching baby blue shirt and two basic leggings, yes two -- double up girls before your legs fall off. To cover my neck, ears, and mouth when I was walking, I wore the faux fur stool which I now probably owe my life to--it was incredibly warm! All in all, bundling up warm served to my advantage as the "garden" was outdoors. If you are ever in the area, you MUST visit, it was absolutely gorgeous and the artist Isaiah Zagar is extraordinary talented!  

I hope you enjoyed this post! Have a great 2016!