A Midwestern Victorian

WEARING: SHEIN EYELET EMBROIDERED RUFFLE BLOUSE | DL1961 HEPBURN JEANS |
EGO BOOTS | GUCCI BELT | ANA LUISA EARRINGS

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THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SHEIN, DL1961 & URBAN DECAY COSMETICS. 

My Midwest DNA has been infected with a Victorian flair. Today's post focuses on fusing the two together and where the inspiration is behind the look. A lot of you ask me what's my take on my personal style and here's my answer: Midwestern Rock n Roll mixed with European Chic. Since my visit to London, there has definitely been more of a British style within my looks. I've also included my new favorite makeup pieces from Urban Decay Cosmetics, incorporating an overall coral tone for an updated, fresh spring look. Continue reading to learn more about the products along with where you can get this white eyelet embroidered ruffle top for only $20!

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Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Demolition' 
80s purple fala round framed sunglasses 
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in 'Alkaline'
Urban Decay Naked Petite Heat 
Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in 'Backtalk' 
Louis Vuitton Poche Toilette 15 Monogram Pouch 

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The Eyelet Embroidered Ruffle And Bell Cuff Blouse is from SHEIN and is only $20! It's the perfect addition to your spring closet. Its crisp details will turn many heads! And what makes this blouse so fantastic along with it being purely chic? Comfort level 100. It's very wearable and makes me feel uber fashionable with it on. I also tucked it inside my jeans to give the blouse a more fitted, clean look. Hurry now and shop here before it is sold out! 

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The blouse would also go well with a maxi skirt/dress but I styled it with a pair of wide leg jeans by DL1961, a New York City-based premium denim brand specializing in high-performance, sustainably manufactured denim that always offers a perfect fit. Katharine Hepburn's brazen style is reinterpreted with these aptly named wide legs. Its ultra high rise is fitted through the waist and butt, widening onwards from the thigh. Soft yet sturdy in 100% cotton, Slate is an old-school indigo wash with a heavily ravaged hem. 

Accessories included in this look are Ana Luisa earrings (limited edition only, which makes them all the more special and unique), my favorite Gucci belt, and a pair of rose gold metallic boots from Ego. I also pulled my hair back into a ponytail because of the statement top. A little styling tip from me, to keep a 'busier' piece like this blouse well-balanced and not over the top, slick the hair back to focus attention on the shirt rather than the face. Earrings can sometimes be too much, especially with the hair down in a look as such. 

What do you guys think of this mixed styled look? To clarify (for some), I grew up in the Midwest, in that it's something in my blood, not just a taste in a style I tend to gravitate towards to naturally... and as to what city? Motown baby! Fun fact: The Oldies is probably one of my favorite genres of music, on top of Rock and the Blues. I've always like to hear about where others are from because you can then have a better grasp to their personal style and taste. It's in all of us, and I think it's such a wonderfully cultural thing. 

As to what I did this weekend? Aside from the usual brunch and my birthday (please no, I love you all but I'm really not into mine... hence the quietness about it.) I actually did a fun video shoot with a pretty well-known K Beauty brand on Saturday and am excited to share it with you soon! Stay tuned, lots of spring content coming your way including my monthly roundup of beauty favorites and other current trends in fashion & style. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday! :)

LOVE & XX'S, 

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There's a LIE in Believe

WEARING: LIE COLLECTION TRENCH | LIE COLLECTION RUFFLE SLEEVE TOP | 
JOE'S JEANS THE CHARLIE | GUCCI BELT | LOUIS VUITTON BAG | NINE WEST PUMPS

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THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY SAKS OFF 5TH & LIE COLLECTION.

In case you missed last week's, 'Motorsport Trend' blog post, where I talked of up and coming Korean fashion designer, Chung Chung Lee of LIE Collection, and featured an amazing hybrid pair of navy blue track/tuxedo pants in the look, today's feature also includes some amazing pieces from his latest collection. Continue reading to see the coolest camel trench coat of the season along with a great pair of frayed hem jeans and a ruffle sleeve white top that combines both athleisure and chicness together. I'd like to think of it as an updated version of a casual classic look, with what will be trending this spring season. 

Many classic camel trenches have a horn buckle and button fastenings, a trans-seasonal appeal offering any wardrobe great versatility. Pair it with jeans and a white top for a casual chic look. But this LIE Collection trench coat is anything but traditional. It's ruched/buttoned sleeves are beautifully detailed with a large tag around the waist belt with the writing, 'LIE' on one side, and 'BELIEVE' on the other. "I think nobody is perfect, but that is the real beauty,” Lee said. “We don’t have to think about stand-out beauty or a beauty contest. I want to talk about real, natural beauty.” In that real beauty cannot be a lie. It's not a lie if you believe in it, no matter if it's beauty or, overall, yourself. 

The white ruffled sleeve top is also by LIE Collection. Its slit detail button-down blouse with ruffles and drawstrings definitely amp up the typical white bouse. Its athleisure details are what's currently trending. The cutouts on the arms of the blouse are great for layering, especially right now when the weather won't quite exactly shift to spring. It can also be worn with skirts and dresses, but I kept it with jeans as I'm really a jeans gal. It's rare that I wear more feminine pieces. The jeans are from Joe's Jeans. I got them at Saks Off Fifth and I got them for just a little over $100! They're having a denim sale‪ till 3/27, you can get 40% off all denim in stores and online so you can stock up on cute new jeans for the spring season!

These Nine West white pumps were sold out for a hot minute, but they're now back in stock. Click here for shopping link or shop at the beginning or end of this blog post. What's your take on this updated classic look? Do you like what you're seeing trending? And what are you most looking forward to wearing this season? Leave your comments down below, I don't always have time to comment back but I do read each and every message from you guys! Until next time, let us pray for less snow and a little more spring. ;)

LOVE & XX'S,

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Transitional Trench + Mink Fur Loafers

WEARING: GWEN SALAKAIA PATENT LEATHER TRENCH COAT | UNIQLO HEATTECH TURTLENECK |
 LEVI'S JEANS | SORELLE SHOES | ELLIA WANG WHITE LAYERED BAG | ROMWE SUNNIES

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Hey, everyone! How was your weekend? I spent the majority of my time working and also caught up with an old friend for brunch on Sunday. I also watched the docuseries, 'Flint Town' while editing yesterday and it is a must watch. It's not just about the problems that surround the town of Flint in Michigan but more about the clashes of racism, political battles and everyday police work that coincides with what is currently happening. You guys really should check it out, not a long one I promise! I've been heavily into documentaries lately while working at the computer, what do you like to have as white noise in the background while you work? Or do you like the silence? Why? Okay, okay... not to get sidetracked; let's get to what I'm discussing in this blog post! In today's outfit post, I'm sharing how a long patent leather trench coat can be chicly styled with a pair of loafers. It's not the typical norm, but rules are meant to be broken and I am far from anything typical ;) Plus, it's still absolutely freezing in New York!

A trench coat is a fashionable product that can’t be separable in autumn, and many girls like the simple matching that a trench coat can solve the dress from head to feet. So in the selection of shoes, flat shoes that are convenient to wear and take off are very matched with a trench coat. I normally will pair a statement coat with more subdued mules or even with some fresh sneakers, but I do like to step outside the box and see what combinations can work when it comes to fashion and styling. And how beautiful are each piece?!

The long patent leather trench coat is from Gwen Salakaia, with a voluminous shape and a beautiful muted color. Isn't the faded brown so lovely? I've always loved a statement coat for any season as I really think it polishes up a look as well as my obsession with outerwear. Because the coat was such a singular piece on its own, I wore my favorite Levi's jeans (yup, total repeat offender) and a Uniqlo Heattech turtleneck due to the STILL frigid temperatures. The mink fur with Swarovski crystal-loafers are from Sorelle Shoes and you can find both the coat and shoes at the NYC showroom, Dreams On Air. 

The gorgeous Italian calfskin, multi-layered white crossbody bag is by Ellia Wang and can also be found at Dreams On Air. I wanted something lighter and softer in terms of color to balance out the dark and neutral colors of the outfit. A trench coat such as this is a great staple/investment piece because it can be worn all year round in various weather conditions along with being quite versatile when it comes to styling it. From a dress to jeans, (to maybe even a surprise visit to your man's showing up in nothing but the trench!) this is a trend that won't be dying out anytime soon. What do you guys think of this look? Shop similar pieces at the beginning or end of this post! Wishing you all a fab week! Catch ya guys back here on M + S real soon!

LOVE & XX'S, 

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Spring Clean Your Skin with Bioré

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How many of you are a seasonal skincare user? Depending on where you live, those like myself on the East Coat go through all four, which can definitely alter our skin. In the warmer months, my combination skin tends to get oiler and during the colder months, my skin tends to be drier. So especially in between the seasons like springtime, I like to keep my skin care cleaning regiment thorough but gentle. Bioré® Skincare targets the root of all skin problems—the evil clogged pore. So when it comes to dirt and oil they take a no-nonsense approach to fight smarter, not harder. Our scrub, liquid, powder, strip, mask and bar cleansing products go straight to the source of those pesky pores for deeply clean, beautiful skin that’s ready for anything. Here are two of my latest favorite products from the brand. 

The Bioré® Self Heating One Minute Mask is a deep cleansing mask that heats up in just 60 seconds, never hardens, and rinses off clean! It’s infused with charcoal and purifies pores 2 1/2 times better than your basic cleansers. You can also add water to increase heating action times two, either way, I love how refreshing my skin feels right after. I absolutely love this mask because the heat opens up my pores to deeply purify my skin, not to mention it feels incredible! My skin felt super smooth and clean with just one mask. The individually packaged masks also make the product easy to travel with, but I just love the convenience of a time-saving mask that legit works. You can purchase the pack of 4 on Amazon for $5.82. Target, Walmart, and other retailers also carry it. :)

Bioré® Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips work like a magnet to instantly lock on to and lift out deep-down dirt, oil, and blackheads. In just 10 minutes, you'll remove weeks' worth of buildup, see 3x less oil and achieve your deepest clean. The pore strips are dermatologist-tested and remove weeks of build up from your pores - without the pain of removing some pore strips I have tried in the past. The pore strips are also individually packaged, and you get 6 of them in a box for $5.99 from Amazon or other retailers.

If you decide to give Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips and/or One Minute Self Heating Mask a try, I picked mine up on Amazon. You can buy them at major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Walgreens. etc. You can see distribution here. Have you ever tried Bioré products before? Unclog your pores! You can learn more about  Bioré on their website but follow them on Instagram and Facebook for news and tips!

LOVE & XX'S, 

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Spring 2018 Trend: Motorsport Gear

WEARING: ROMWE TWO TONED BOMBER JACKET | UNIQLO HEATTECH TURTLENECK | 
LIE COLLECTION PANTS | ADIDAS HIGH TOPS | ROMWE SUNGLASSES 

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THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ROMWE.

Happy Friday! I am definitely having a much better week than last! Doesn't it seem like that's how it always goes? "Tomorrow's another day" always resonates, in that yes, normally the day after always turns out alright. If not a little bit more than alright. Us, New Yorkers, are heavy with anticipation for spring, when will the day finally come when we can step outside without a heavy coat on? To kick off the weekend, I'm sharing with you one of my favorite trends of the season, that's been cultivating for the past few years now is the motorsport // racing gear sportswear. From helmets to goggles and track pants, gloves and more, it's all about the aesthetic. Bringing an edgier contemporary look to anything but casual, it's a trend that won't be going anywhere anytime soon. 

If you've been following my NYFW adventures for the past couple of years, perhaps you have heard me mention of Concept Korea and the two designers within the fashion house. One of the designers, Chung Chung Lee, began his design career in menswear on the famed Savile Row under the guidance of the celebrated menswear designer Oswald Boateng, Chung solidified his tailoring skills, which eventually led to launching a menswear line, A. Hallucination in London. Upon the introduction of his first collection, Chung received critical acclaim by notable fashion magazines such as Vogue UK and GQ UK followed by multiple awards including two consecutive “Winner of Ones to Watch” awards in 2010 and 2011 by Vauxhall Fashion Scout, “Bright Young Things” by Selfridges, and “Menswear Designer” award given by Fashion’s Finest Awards in 2011.

In 2011, Chung partnered with his sister Nana to form the fashion label LIE. Since its launch, LIE has grown to include two freestanding stores in Korea, multiple pop-up shops throughout Asia and a permanent section in the flagship LIE SANGBONG Concept store in New York’s Meatpacking District. The line is distributed across the globe including select boutiques, specialty shops, and department stores. These tuxedo/track pants are by this particular designer and this piece speak for themselves. The pop of neon from the 'BELIEVE/LIE' tag is perfect with the side race pant detail in plastic and print. Along with tailoring skills, his attention to detail is immense and well-executed. I'll be sharing more pieces by this designer coming soon so keep your eyes peeled when that new content pops up. 

I can never get enough of mixing high and low together when it comes to fashion. And would you believe it if I told you these sunnies are under 5 bucks AND this bomber jacket is under $20?! They are both from Romwe and you can shop these pieces at the start or at the end of this blog post. As always, the layout is the same for each outfit/fashion post. Got questions or want to drop a comment? Leave me something down below! Have a rad weekend, everyone!

LOVE & XX'S,

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