Summer Cropped Pants

Summer Cropped Pants by mangomolly featuring joie

Cute Cups

So I recently learned something about myself. I may be turning into my mom. For years I've been battling her on her no measurement policy. She says she can't help it, that that's just the way she was taught to cook but a fat load of good that does me when I'm trying to figure out how to make one of my grandma's dishes. I try to explain to her that cooking is all about ratios (i.e. this is why she is a notoriously terrible baker) to no avail. I remember spending 45 minutes on the phone with her once trying to confirm that the ratio to cook rice is 2 parts water to 1 part rice in which she would not give me a straight answer and kept saying "you just put as much rice and water as you need for the amount of people you're trying to feed. I eventually demanded that she put my father on the phone who gave me a simple "yes." 

But as I was posting this "recipe," I realized that I too have begun to cook without measurement. This is all fine and well when experimenting, but seeing my mother's nature come out in my cooking has scared me into vigilance. I must keep an eye on myself, I can't let myself get to the point where I ignore quantities in recipe cards. I have come up with a solution: cute measuring cups.

Versatile Vodka

Who says vodka's just for Friday night? It turns out there are so many more uses for vodka besides getting it on.

1. Treat poison ivy - pour on affected area right away

2. Freshen up laundry - no time to wash the LBD before the big date tomorrow? Pour vodka into spray bottle and spritz. The alcohol dissolves any bacteria and the vodka smell goes away as soon as you spray it.

3. Shiny hair - pour a jigger of vodka into conditioner for extra shine!

4. Toothache - Pour a shot of vodka into your mouth and swish! Swallow for extra side effects.

5. Polish up chrome, glass, and porcelain to get them to shine

6. Natural insect repellant - pour vodka into spray bottle and spray yourself.

7. Keep flowers fresh - pour a little vodka into your vase of flowers to make them last longer

Dress Up or Down: Sweaters

I am so happy it's fall because I LOVE SWEATERS! In the morning, evening, going out or staying in. Period.

Summer to Fall: One Dress

Fall is here, for better or worse. And as much as I would like to I am unable to buy a whole new wardrobe to stylishly shield myself from the crisp fall wind. So here's an idea to take a summer staple, the breezy dress, and transition it into fall. One reason I love dresses is that it automatically becomes cold weather friendly by putting on a pair of tights!

Favorite Drugstore Beauty

I don't know what it is but I could spend half the day wandering the beauty aisle at the drugstore. Even though I don't wear that much, I love makeup BUT I do not like to spend a lot of money on it. The drugstore holds some fantastic products that rival even the highest-end brands of makeup. Here are some of my favorites!

1. Maybelline Full n' Soft mascara - this mascara looks natural and makes your lashes look exactly what it says they will look like: full and soft!

2. L'Oreal Paris Infallible Eye Liner - I was a total late bloomer when it came to eyeliner and this eyeliner makes it so easy to use. With the consistency of a crayon, it's easier to control than a pencil or liquid eyeliner. And it stays on all day and doesn't move!

3. Revlon Moondrops Lipstick - Pigmented, moisturizing, and long-lasting! A long time favorite, Revlon knows how to make its lipsticks.

4. Wet n' Wild Icon Palette Eyeshadow - This is one of my favorite drug store finds. There are 3 versions of this palette, all with 3 matte and 3 shimmery eyeshadows. They are pigmented, blendable, and lasting.

5. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeep Conditioner - Leave it in, shave your legs or soap up, and rinse it out for gloriously moisturized and easy-to-style hair. Extra tip: after putting in conditioner, blast your hair for a second with the blowdryer to help melt it into your hair. Seriously soft hair alert.

6. Neutrogena Healthy Defenses Daily Moisturizer SPF 50 for Sensitive Skin - I have really sensitive skin and this doesn't bother it at all! It is so important that sunscreen is worn everyday and it's easy to incorporate it into your daily routine when it's built in with your moisturizer!

7. Wet n' Wild Idols Eye Cream Shadow Pencil - I use this as a thick eyeliner or as an eyeshadow. My favorite colors are the nude, black, and dark blue colors. They also have purple, light green, and dark green.

8. Aquaphor - seriously this is the missing magic element. It's like a thick Vaseline and you can use it for dry skin, cuts, burns, squeaky chair legs, chapped lips, dry heels, and much much more. I like to use a little as a brow gel to keep my brows in order and to put it on my pulse points before putting on perfume to make it last longer. I've also heard about using it in the place of a highlighter on your cheeks and to mix it with dry shadow to create your own creme versions. You can also make your own gloss/tinted lip balm by melting your favorite old lipsticks with this into little jars.

9. Almay Nearly Naked Foundation with SPF 15 - I just started experimenting with liquid foundation (I've been using powder forever) and I love this. It's easy to use (hello foundation novice!), easy to blend, and looks really natural. I was a little worried about getting a drugstore foundation where I can't test the color but the 'Buff' color is a perfect match for me (I'm super pale)!

10. Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm - I. Love. Burt's. Bees. Seriously. I only wish this had SPF. It looks like a sheer lipstick and it's all natural! It's casual enough that you can apply it in mixed company (no sneaking off to the bathroom) but packs a punch of color! My favorite color is Rose and I imagine that it could work for a variety of skin tones.

11. Maybelline Superstay 24 Color - This was a recent purchase and so far I'm liking it! It's in the form of a gloss but acts like a stain. There's also a balm end for conditioning and it comes in tons of colors categorized by red, plum, pink, and nude. But beware, it says it has staying power and it does! Even after washing my face before bed I found that I still had a little on in the morning. A little lotion (my favorite makeup remover) got it right off though.

What are your favorite drugstore beauty buys?

Inspired by Snow White

Snow White is known for her pale skin, raven hair, scarlet lips, and bold use of primary colors. It's easy to steal a little fashion inspiration from Snow White without looking like a kindergarten project gone wrong. A pale blue blazer can go from a statement piece to your go-to jacket for all outfits. Neutral boots let colorful separates speak for themselves. And don't forget your apple accents! These pieces will definitely draw the eye of your prince charming without pretending you're asleep on that park bench.

Inspired by The Little Mermaid

I was a huge Disney Princess fan growing up and who can blame me? I was lucky enough to see some of the best Disney put out in their so-called "Disney Renaissance." Once in a while, usually on a rainy day, I'll pop my VHS (yes, VHS) of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and all the other iconic Disney movies and get my nostalgia on. Thus came the idea for an "Inspired by Disney Princess" series. Each Disney Princess has a distinct style that can easily be translated into the real, non-animated world (although I would really not recommend wearing a purple shell bra top out into public, even if you have the amazing proportions of Ariel's body). And so we start with The Little Mermaid.

The Little Mermaid will forever be defined by Ariel's magical "under-the-sea" home. You can even see the ocean inspiration in the movement of her pink dress when meeting Prince Eric for dinner. Look for romantic ruffles, loose draping, and flowy fabrics. I particularly love the wave-like bangles and the loose top in a perfect Little Mermaid color scheme. Just find a pair of fork (or a "dinglehopper" in Ariel speak) earrings to complete the look!