#OOTD: Autumn Hues (Feat. StyleWe)

November 22, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Personal Style

Burrrrrrrr! It sure has gotten cold here in the ‘Burgh recently (much to my dismay), but I’m not letting the dropping temperatures get me down during my favorite season. And though it’s been chilly lately, we’ve still had a few nice days to take the opportunity to dress up— without having to dress in a ton of layers. And since yesterday was probably one of those last nice days we’ll have this year, I decided to take the opportunity to show off some fabulous fall colors by stepping out in my gorgeous new dress from my sponsor and affiliate, StyleWe, and strolling through Sewickley to do a little early holiday shopping, before grabbing a fabulous dinner at Bruneaux.

Colors Of The Season

Though getting a jump start on Christmas shopping isn’t necessarily a glamorous affair, due to the fact that it was absolutely gorgeous yesterday I decided to doll myself up a bit since I haven’t had the chance too since it has been so cold lately (and unfortunately will now continue to be until spring). But as we all know, I will take any and every excuse to dress up, so doing some early bird holiday shopping followed by dinner afterwards was as good as any! So I chose to go with this chic little dress, due to the fact that it was dressy enough to go to dinner at Bruneaux yet casual enough to stroll through town without being uncomfortable or feeling overdressed.

Much like everything else I have received from StyleWe over the years, this dress is made incredibly well, fits like a glove, and just makes for an overall flattering look. The first thing I noticed about this dress is how rich the color of the fabric is. This beautiful red hue is perfect for the fall season and is sure to get anyone who is wearing it some compliments. I also love this color because it really warms up my fair complexion as well as adds a pop of color to the grey backdrop that southwestern Pennsylvania becomes in the fall and winter. Aside from the dress’ color, another thing I adore about this garment is it’s fit and it’s cut. Due to having an hourglass shape, I tend to wear many clothes that have a fitted waist, which this dress most definitely has, which accentuates my curves perfectly. I also love the asymmetrical cut of the dress’ hem, giving this look a very cool and modern feel, which is great because that is a big trend this season.

The final thing I love about this dress is the zipper detailing on its sleeves as well as its adorable split bell sleeves. Much like I’ve mentioned in the past, I love bell sleeves due to their feminine touch and chic feel. And to keep this dress’ chic and feminine feel, I chose to style it with one of my favorite layered necklaces, along with some Kendra Scott earrings, my JORD Hyde series watch, and my beloved Chloe Drew bag, just to keep things light!

Lastly, to finish my overall look, I chose to keep my makeup subtle, and opted to use my bareMinerals BarePro foundation, bareMinerals blush, along with some Maybelline eyeshadow and NARS lipstick. The reason I chose these particular shades is because they complemented the rich color of the dress as well as the earthy tones of the fall season.

One Last Look

How have you been styling during the pre-holiday season, and have you gotten a jump start on your Christmas shopping yet? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarKRavingChic! Curious what I've been shopping for or want to share your own holiday scores? Feel free to tag me in your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic! Later, dolls.

Xx, Bree

P.S. Psssssst! If you love the jewelry I styled in this post as much as I do, you can try Rocksbox for a whole month 100% FREE when you sign up using my promo code "starkravingchicxoxo". Don't know what Rocksbox is or how it works? You can learn more here!

Also, I am now a proud member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!

Last Minute Halloween Style Essentials 2017 (Feat. SheIn)

October 27, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Style Guides

As I’m sure we all know, Halloween is quickly approaching (only four days away!) and that means one thing: Halloween parties! And if any of my readers are like me, you may have been procrastinating in the costume department this year, meaning you are probably in the market for something, quick easy and affordable. As my longtime readers know, Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday and I would love to dress up as, as many different things as I can. However, sometimes on a college budget that just isn’t feasible. So in the spirit of the holiday (and to help out my fellow holiday procrastinators with a last minute costume idea) I’ve decided to do this special style guide featuring cost friendly, easy, and restyle-able Halloween costumes, featuring some great finds from my sponsor, SheIn.

A Mime

A mime is the perfect costume as well as a quick fix for any last minute Halloween parties. The reason why this is one of my go-to costumes is because I personally have a black and white striped top collection that could probably rival that of The Hamburglar. But also because all the items needed for this costume are generally very easy to come by! All you need is a black beret hat, a black and white striped top (as mentioned earlier), some black pants, and some black shoes. After you have this together just throw on some white face paint and red lipstick and you're set! And as you'll see with all the other costumes on this list, you can even restyle all of these pieces throughout the year. Hooray for versatility right?

Outfit Left to Right: Beret Hat, Black and White Striped Top, Black Skinnies, and Studded Booties.

Rosie The Riveter

Next up, if you're the type of woman who is all about girl power (Which really, shouldn't we all be?) I would say that going as the iconic Rosie The Riveter would be a great costume choice for you! First of all, all over denim outfits have been making a comeback during the fall of 2017, and is anticipated to stick around throughout the spring of 2018. Meaning, the adorable denim top, jeans combo, and black sneakers combo will be a cute look for months to come. So all you need to complete this look is a red bandanna or headband to mix up your look a bit!

Outfit Left to Right: Red Headband, Denim Blouse, Jeans, and Black Sneakers.

Skeleton or Pumpkin

Though this outfit choice might be a cop out, this outfit is the best choice for those of us who might be a little lazy in the holiday/costume department, but that doesn't mean it doesn't make for a chic and spooky look! Just add a little bit of smoky, sultry makeup and all your work is done.

Outfit Left to Right: Skeleton Sweater, Pumpkin Sweater, Skeleton Leggings, Black Skinnies, and Black Flats.

The White Rabbit (Alice in Wonderland)

This next costume is for those of us who are a bit more ambitious about the holiday, and who like to wear formal attire throughout the year. The reason I chose The White Rabbit for this list is because it is fun, cute, and unique! All you need is a pair of bunny ears, a red blazer, a white dress (Love the dress I chose for this look? You can check out how I styled it here!), a clock purse, and a nice pair of black pumps. And the reason why this look works so well for both a costume party and for everyday life is due to the fact each of these pieces can be worn together (well, minus the bunny ears) and separately all year round,making them some very versatile pieces for your wardrobe.

Outfit Left to Right: Bunny Ears Headband, Red Blazer, White Dress, Clock Purse, and Black Pumps.

Wednesday Addams

Last but not least, our final costume is the portrayal of everyone's favorite spooky girl: Wednesday Addams! This costume is the most simple of the bunch but is arguably the most chic and possibly the most versatile for all year round wear. All this outfit requires is a simple white blouse, a black fit and flare dress, along with some cute black heels. And the reasons each of these work so well separately (as well as together) is much like The White Rabbit Costume above, you can mix and match all of these pieces to make some very simple but chic outfits!

Outfit Left to Right: White Blouse, Black Dress, and Black Heels.

So everyone, who or what are you being for Halloween this year? Do you have any go-to last minute Halloween looks of your own? I would love to hear about them, so let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me about your costumes at @StarkRavingChic! Have a cute Halloween costume you just need to show off? Feel free to tag me in your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic. Later babes, and happy haunting!

Xx, Bree

P.S. Pssssssst! In case you haven't heard, I am now a proud member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!

#OOTD: Go Bananas! (Feat. SheIn + bareMinerals Compliments of Influenster)

October 10, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Personal Style

Every year throughout the fall and winter seasons, my long time readers know there are a couple common themes:

1. The fact that I absolutely love every single thing about the fall season, in particular the month of October (I'm a BIG Halloween fan and lover of all things spooky).

2. I usually run one or two giveaways depending on sponsorships and time constraints. (You can check out my current one HERE featuring my affiliate and sponsor JORD.)

3. Since fall is my favorite season I tend to post more "#OOTD" posts during this season than any other due to all the fun fall activities I enjoy and dress for!

Well today's post is no different, except for one key component: Today along with my fabulous, new babydoll dress from my lovely sponsor SheIn, I am also thrilled to announce that I have also had the opportunity to pair up with Influenster and my affiliate bareMinerals and test out their newest product: BarePro, which is a long lasting, liquid foundation! So before I dive into my outfit and what I was up to over the weekend (if you follow me on Instagram you know after Sunday brunch with my mum I had a photo shoot!), let me tell you a little bit about the company bareMinerals, Influenster, and of course my review on their product!

A Bit About bareMinerals

If you have been reading my posts here on Stark Raving Chic for awhile, you know that bareMinerals is by far my absolute favorite makeup company. Though I have (and still do) use and work with other brands on occasion, most of my makeup case is predominantly bareMinerals products. But one quest I have never addressed is why I love this company and their products so much. Well, today I'm thrilled to finally have the chance to explain!

First and for most, you should know bareMinerals is a makeup company based out of San Francisco that has been in business for over 35 years. This company is 100% dedicated to producing all natural makeup in order to make you, and your skin, look and feel your best. I personally started using their products back in eighth grade due to having easily irritated skin, and it just so happened that bareMinerals makeup was the only makeup that did not cause me to break out at that time. Another thing you should know about bareMinerals is along with being a 100% natural makeup line, they are also 100% cruelty free, meaning none of their products are tested on animals and their products are not sold in China. Now that you have the important info on the company, let's talk about the product I received compliments of my sponsor Influenster.

As I stated earlier, the bareMinerals product I received complimentary from Influenster is bareMinerals newest liquid foundation, BarePro. The product itself comes packaged very nicely in a glass bottle and contains a little more than three ounces of foundation, which of course is a hefty amount of liquid foundation! I also felt that the foundation was easy to use and apply to my brushes.

Lastly, I have to say that I have absolutely fallen in love with this foundation. The first reason why is the shade I received, Aspen 04, is spot on with my own complexion, which most of the time it is hard for me to find a product that isn't a little too light or a little too dark. I also have to say that BarePro blends so incredibly easily and seamlessly with my other bareMinerals products and provides excellent coverage, all while giving me a desired natural look. The foundation is also light making it comfortable for all day wear and also lives up to its name of being a "performance" foundation because it really does last all day!

Candy Shopping

So after applying my awesome bareMinerals BarePro foundation and the rest of my makeup, I was off to run some errands and shop for one of my favorite October traditions: Trick R' Treat. Though I don't have much of a sweet tooth myself, I have always enjoyed handing out candy to the little ghouls and goblins in my neighborhood on the night of Trick R' Treat. And every year I do my candy shopping locally in Sewickley, because village candy seriously has one of the best selections for Halloween!

Though this adorable babydoll dress from SheIn has a bit more of a summer flare, I chose to style it for my errands this weekend because it was fun, casual, and cool-- as in it kept me from sweltering in the not so fall like weather we had on Saturday. The dress itself though is made of a light cotton material, though I would describe it having a feel more similar to linen, and runs true to size (for reference, mine is a small, and due to the cut and nature of the dress you want it to be loose fitting). I also just love the banana pattern and button detailing on this dress because they each give this piece a fun and playful feel. As always, like all of my clothes from SheIn, this dress is also made incredibly well and is very comfortable. Like I said earlier, it's perfect for a warm day and will keep you looking chic while keeping you cool! The only thing I would caution my readers about is if you want to purchase this dress, you will need a slip to go underneath it because it is a tiny bit see through.

Lastly, to style this cute little number, I chose to keep it simple and pair it with some white Kendra Scott earrings, my newest wooden watch by my sponsor and affiliate JORD, and my plain white and gold Tommy Hilfiger sandals. The reason I chose to pair this playful dress with such simple accessories is because I did not want to take away from its fun pattern and whimsical nature.

One Last Look

How have you been styling during our very unseasonably warm weather? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me about it at @StarkRavingChic. Have a playful outfit you'd just love to show off? I'd love to see it so feel free to tag me in your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic! Later babes, hope you're enjoying the warm weather!

Xx, Bree

P.S. In case you missed it: if you love the JORD watch I styled in this post, be sure to enter my giveaway by October 15th, 2017 for a chance to win one of your very own plus a $25 e-gift code just for entering! Gets all the details here, in my JORD Fall Campaign + Giveaway post!

P.P.S.

Psssssst! If you love the jewelry I styled in this post as much as I do, you can try Rocksbox for a whole month 100% FREE when you sign up using my promo code "starkravingchicxoxo". Don't know what Rocksbox is or how it works? You can learn more here!