Oh to Be a Muse

On My Mind

2012-02-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

How about those Grammys? Some pretty interesting performances from Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry; Chris Brown won an award (really?); and Adele won big!

For some of my picks for Best & Worst Dressed from the Grammys, check out the Muse's Facebook page!
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Totally copied this from InStyle.

I saw this in my InStyle mag a week ago and thought it would make for a pretty sweet blog post on the Muse. It's a way to get to know me a little better. Plus, I like the idea of laying out this post sort of like a magazine layout.

And any reason to talk about Parks & Rec is a good one.

What's on your mind?
~~~
Vote for me in the Refinery 29 Contest too!
♥

Queen of Hearts: Valentine's Day Gift Guide

2012-02-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've been seeing a lot of these around the blogosphere lately, so I wanted to try to break up the monotony by featuring some different and interesting items in my Valentine' Day Gift Guide. A lot of these I either want for myself or I would totally gift to the hubs or a friend.

The majority of these items can be found on Fab and GoJane, with a few from sites like OohlaFrouFrou.com, Etsy and Paul Smith.

Here are few things that I think the ladies will love.

♥Ooh La Frou Frou Valentine Shoo-In card

♥Satin inset clutch

♥I Heart Vampires wayfarers

♥Woven cut-out top

♥Rosette coin purse

♥Lipstick pen

♥Kissing Swallows stretch belt

And let's not forget about the boys!

♥Bunny iPhone case

♥Heart Tee

♥Transformers iPad case

♥Charlie-Dexter mugs

♥Paul Smith heart patterned bowtie

♥Heart-shaped USB

♥Music necklace set

♥Red spheres earrings

♥It's Not You It's Me necklace

♥Stone necklace

♥Perforated bracelet

♥Oversize mustache ring

♥Double finger bicycle heart ring

What do you think of my Valentine's Day Gift Guide? Find anything on here that you like?

Happy Valentine's Day!
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And check out my Room Invasion Feature on the Chic Therapy blog!
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Enter the Boy Meets Girl Giveaway & Vote for me in the Refinery 29 Contest too!

Lookbook: Like a Tree Leopard

2012-02-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

With these shoes, it only made sense to climb up a tree.
You've probably seen snippets of this outfit all over the Muse recently.

The hubs took these photos right before we went to our archery class. You might have seen the photo of me shooting with my bow & arrow if you follow me on either Facebook or Twitter. Btw - a lot of the people in my class were like 10-year-olds. But they were beasts at archery. 10-year-old beasts.Anyhoo, it was the hubs' idea for me to take photos with this gigantic tree, and then I decided that I might as well sit on the huge tree limb and get all safari with it.♥Moon necklace ~ Pirate Romance ♥Leopard print flats ~ Charlotte Russe ♥Bow clutch ~ Jessica SimpsonI should also say that these are the Versace for H&M leggings that I so desperately wanted and had to buy on eBay because it was sold out in stores. But it's definitely my favorite piece from the collection. I wear them all the time. And I find I've been wearing these leopard flats all day & night as well.Also, it's the month of February! Do you know what that means? My birthday is coming up on the 23rd! Coincidentally, the last time I wore this blazer on the Muse was my birthday of last year.Remember my 26 by 26 list? Let's see how much I can get done in the next two weeks! By the way, when I picked up this bow clutch in the store a little girl approached me and said, "I love your bag." That's when I knew this clutch was coming home with me. Thanks, little girl aka future Anna Wintour.♥Tops ~ Stella McCartney (underneath) & Charlotte Russe ♥Blazer ~ H&M ♥Leggings ~ VersaceWhat do you think of my look?

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Enter the Boy Meets Girl Giveaway & Vote for me in the Refinery 29 Contest too!
~~~
And the winner of the Pirate Romance Giveaway is...
Jen, The Blonde-Blogger!
♥

Boy Meets Girl Valentine's Day Giveaway ~ CLOSED

2012-02-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

Did you make out like a bandit at Jason Wu for Target?

Anyway, as I'm sure you guys already know, Boy Meets Girl is my jam! There was actually a moment last year when someone saw me with my BMG tote and said, "Love that tote. I've wanted to get that for a while." In which I replied, "Well, I'm special."

I didn't actually say that. I told her that she could get the tote on the Boy Meets Girl website. And that's not the only great item you can find there. Currently I'm crushing on the Sanctuary Top, the Paramount Pant and pretty much anything with the cute logo on it.These Valentine's Day inspired Boy Meets Girl accessories that I'm rocking today are the BMG tights and the black and white Minky Bean slippers.

♥new floppy hat, F21 top & belt, Oscar de la Renta sunnies, Juicy Couture bag♥

Love the cute Boy Meets Girl logo on the tights, and the slipper socks are super comfy!

To continue with the giveaway fun this month (aka: the Muse's Birthday Giveaway Extravaganza), Stacy Igel and Boy Meets Girl are giving one lucky reader a chance to win both these BMG tights and the Minky Bean slippers!

And that's not all...

The winner will also receive a Lockerz.com card for 2500 PTZ!
(Each point--ptz--that you earn on Lockerz.com can be used toward discounts on fashion items)

So how do you enter the giveaway? Check out the rules below!
Mandatory Entries

♥Watch the Behind the Seams with Stacy Igel "Get Smartie" video below and leave a comment on this post telling me what you like about it!
(no better video for Valentine's Day than one about candy--make sure you get to the 3-minute mark for a great DIY)

♥Vote for me in the Refinery 29 Style Blogger Contest. Just click here, find "Cheryl" and hit the heart on my photo!
(Comment on this post letting me know you voted for me)
Extra Entries
Follow me on any of these other social outlets!
Become a fan of the Muse on Facebook or Follow me on Twitter
Google Friend Connect, Google Plus, Bloglovin'
~~~
This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
Ends February 13!

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In other giveaway news...
Today is the last day to enter the Pirate Romance giveaway (click on the sidebar link)
And the winner of the Apothica giveaway is...
Olga of Leave Me on the Catwalk!

♥

Inspiring Style: Jason Wu for Target ~ My Picks

2012-02-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know. Another "designer" for "bargain store" collaboration is about to come out, and yes, I'm writing about it on the Muse. But how could I not? Have you seen the Jason Wu for Target collection yet?

Honestly, I'm more in love with this designer collaboration than I was for either Versace for H&M or Missoni for Target last year. I get more of a Lanvin love when I see it. There aren't any crazy patterns, and I won't have to worry about any strenuous lines either.

I plan to shop online and not have any issues with that little bulls-eye dog saying "Woof. We are suddenly extremely popular...apologies for the inconvenience."

Anyway...enough of my rambling. Here are my favorite picks from the Jason Wu collection!I need more clutches in my life and this floral lace clutch ($29.99) is just the answer. But I've had my eyes on that satchel bag ($49.99) for a very long time now, and if it's the only thing I'm able to get then I'd still be quite happy.

How beautiful are these pieces? They are the epitome of clean lines.
Textured pleated peplum top ~ $32.99
Flared dress in cream ~ $59.99
Sheer floral top ~ $26.99
Trench coat ~ $54.99

Everything in the Jason Wu collaboration is between $20 and $60, and that includes all the scarves, all the bags and all the apparel.

The collection goes live February 5 and can be bought both online and in stores.
Which are your favorites?
~~~
And Please vote for me in the Refinery 29 Style Blogger Contest. Click here, go to the Popular Contestants tab, search for "Cheryl" and just click on the heart on my photo. Your vote is much appreciated!

(image credit)

♥

Makeup & Muses: Nail Art DIY

2012-02-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

I believe I first spotted this nail art design on We Heart It, which then led me to someone's blog. It wasn't even my initial idea to do a nail DIY, but I was bored so I decided to try it out.

Like these zig-zag nails, my last nail DIY--marble nails--also involved the use of tape. Here's what you'll need to get this look!

♥tape ♥scissors ♥paper towel ♥two contrasting nail colors

♥First paint your nails with the first nail color. I used a ginger-scented shade that I picked up from F21. Make sure you let your nails dry COMPLETELY or else you'll just have to start all over (like I did).

♥Next, use the scissors to cut a zig-zag pattern into the tape. I found out that the more cuts, the better. It will make the pattern on your nails look much cooler.
♥After you cut the tape, stick it on to the side of your hand and rub against it for a few minutes. This is so the tape isn't as sticky when you put it on your nails.

♥Once your nails are dry, place the tape halfway across your nail. You can choose to switch it up by putting the tape at the top, bottom or side of your nail.
♥Then take your second nail color (I used a Sally Hansen insta-dry) and polish the side of your nail that is not covered by tape. The beauty of the tape is that if you polish over it then the tape will act as a barrier.

♥Then pull up the tape from the outside edge and your zig-zag pattern will be revealed on your nail.
♥I used a paper towel to blot the tape after each finger so I didn't have excess on each nail.

What do you think?
Have you ever done a nail art DIY like this before?
♥

In Pirate, We Trust: Pirate Romance Giveaway ~ CLOSED

2012-01-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

With the release of their Spring/Summer 2012 collection, Pirate Romance is making moves and turning heads! The new collection, which was released back on Jan. 11, is styled with hand-dyed turquoise, fringe and metals laced with leather.

This 4th seasonal collection is brought to you by former stylist Joi French, who devoloped the Pirate Romance line as an answer to limited edition collections. This new collection is inspired by French's favorite childhood cartoon, JEM, as she wants every woman who wears her jewelry to feel transformed.

And I definitely felt transformed when I recently wore the Moon necklace from the Autumn/Winter 2011 collection. The chain and stone design is super elegant in the way the chains are layered over each stone. The necklace also did not get tangled, which was an added bonus.Take a look at my favorite items from the S/S jewelry collection:

So I can't think of anything better than to give one of you lovely muses a chance to win a piece from the S/S '12 Pirate Romance jewelry collection!

Up for grabs are these amazing Swish earrings.

♥How to Enter♥

--Leave a comment here letting me know what you did to enter--

Mandatory

~Follow Pirate Romance on Twitter

~Follow me on Facebook or Twitter

Extra Entry

♥Vote for me in the Refinery 29 Style Blogger Contest. Just click here, find "Cheryl" and hit the heart on my photo!

(Comment on this post letting me know you voted for me)

~Like Pirate Romance on Facebook

~Follow me on Google Friend Connect

♥Giveaway is open to EVERYONE & ends February 6!

FBFF: On Trend

2012-01-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

This month's Fashion Beauty Friend Friday post is all about the trends. Read below for my two cents and then let me know your thoughts in the comments!

♥FBFF asks: What trends hitting stores now are you coveting?That would absolutely have to be anything peplum. I love the peplum silhouette when seen on both skirts and dresses. This is definitely a style that I'd like to add to my closet collection. It's just so feminine.

♥How do you incorporate new trends into your wardrobe?I try to mix any new trendy item with something in my closet that I would consider a staple. Having a new trendy piece gives me a good way to highlight other pieces in my wardrobe.

I worked both the mullet skirt and overlay maxi on the Muse and paired them with pieces in my closet that don't usually get a lot of attention from me.

♥What trend are you seeing and not loving?

The camouflage trend as seen by Derek Lam and Lela Rose isn't up my alley at all. I'm all for incorporating different and unique styles, but I think camo should stay in the military.

♥Do you feel the pressure to constantly update your closet with the latest trends?

No, I definitely don't feel that pressure because I'm not always into trends to begin with. If I see something that I like and it happens to be on trend then I'll pick it up. But I won't spend money on something just because it's in right now, especially if I don't like it or it doesn't work for me.

♥Where do you find inspiration that takes the trend and makes it accessible to you and your personal taste?

I definitely find trend inspiration from bloggers and fashion sites. Bloggers really know how to make things work!

What are your favorite or least favorite trends?

Link up to all the Fashion Beauty Friend Friday posts by Modly Chic here!

♥

Mane Attraction ~ My Hair Picks

2012-01-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love hair? I'm the type of person who tries not to stare when people with awesome hair walk by...but I stare anyway. If I'm out and about, I'm not afraid to walk up to you and say, "hey, I love your hair."

So why not celebrate the celebs that I feel are wearing their hairstyles and wearing them well!

♥Go Au Natural like musician Esperanza Spalding, who took home the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2011.

She has the kind of hair that I adore: it's big; it's bold; it's au natural.

♥Take hold of your Blonde Ambition like the one and only Gwen Stefani.

She's been rocking the platinum look for a while now and it seems to only get better with age.

♥I had a lot of options when it came to Black and Bold, but I ultimately chose the lovely Chanel Iman as she can do pretty much anything with her locks.

Her rich, dark color acts as another great accessory to her look.

♥Get fired up with Emma Stone, who is by far one of the most Fiery Gingers on the scene.

She's making moves on the big screen and turning heads on the red carpet. And she might not always be a redhead, but when she is, she's red hot.

♥I hope you're not getting tired of seeing Mila Kunis on the Muse because I think I'll keep featuring her as long as she keeps being awesome.

When it comes to her physical beauty, it's hard not to mention both her eyes and her full head of hair. The Thicker, the Better -- and she flaunts it.

♥No one owns the Short and Chic look quite like Michelle Williams. She dresses her hair up in cute pixie styles with sweeping curls and sexy straight edges.

The odds seem to always be in her favor when it comes to her hair and you can bet on that.

What type of hair is your favorite at the moment?
(images found on Google)

♥

Featured Fashionista: Stephanie

2012-01-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

Featured Fashionista ~ Stephanie from L.A.

What can I say when it comes to Stephanie other than she is the bee's knees! I've been following her blog for a long time now, and I'm always intrigued by not only her looks, but her lifestyle as well. She does a very good job of bringing you into her world and her life, which she lives loudly. What a bombshell!

Blog: The Loudmouth Lifestyle

What do you think of Stephanie's look?

Want to be a part of Featured Fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!

Check out a list of all my beautiful Featured Fashionistas for anyone you might have missed.

♥

Lookbook: Studded Hearts

2012-01-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend the hubs and I visited my friend in L.A. to help him move. I think he's living in Hollywood, but to tell you the truth, I never know where I am when I go to L.A.

Anyway, before the trip I thought it would be nice to do a little photo shoot featuring a few pieces from my most recent ~~spree~~ buy.

Since the outfit is mainly black, I used my accessories for the P.O.C. or pops of color as Brad Goreski likes to say. My look is featuring the Mouse and Moe necklace and this awesome turquoise double leaf cuff. And check out the studded details on this blazer that I wrote about on the Oh to Be a Muse Facebook page.

I first saw this Rory Beca overlay maxi skirt months ago when the collection originally came out at Forever 21, but I didn't buy it until recently because I wasn't sure how this would look on me. After I saw it again, I decided to actually try it on and thought it looked good enough to buy.

What do you think?

Oh, these heels...LOVE! And you know what? They are superbly comfortable.

Check out my Pomeranian photo-bombing this pic.♥Necklace ~ Mouse and Moe ♥Studded blazer ~ Forever 21 ♥Hearts skirt ~ Rory Beca ♥Buckle booties ~ Charlotte Russe ♥Vintage handbag ~ Morris Moskowitz

By the way, I had a pretty fun time in L.A. Went to Stout for a great Imperialist burger, was this close (<->) to shopping at Crossroads Traiding Co. (except it hadn't opened yet), and had a lovely French toast breakfast at Blu Jam...which was my jam, of course.

Thoughts on this ensemble?

And don't forget to enter the Apothica Giveaway!

♥

Makeup & Muses: Apothica Giveaway ~ CLOSED

2012-01-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

You might remember that little Makeup and Muses post a couple of weeks ago on my blog called the 2012 Beauty Poll in which I asked you muses to pick your favorite makeup, fragrance and skin care products.

♥For Makeup: The 3 choices included a Smashbox eye pencil set, a Too Faced natural eye kit and a Cargo eye shimmer.

The votes were very close between Smashbox and Too Faced, but the ultimate winner was Too Faced!

♥For Fragrance: You could pick Covet by Sarah Jessica Parker, Fancy by Jessica Simpson or Incanto Shine by Salvatore Ferragamo. These votes were also super close among all 3 contenders, but I decided to give the win to Covet!

♥For Skin Care: This category was not as close as the other two. The 3 choices were Eminence sweet red rose cleanser, Purity Made Simple cleanser by Philosophy and the Murad soothing gel cleanser.

Based on the results, Philosophy was the clear winner!

So with these results I've decided to give one lucky muse the chance to win all 3 products in this Apothica Giveaway! You can win the Too Faced eye kit, the Covet fragrance by Sarah Jessica Parker and the Purity Made Simple cleanser by Philosophy!

To enter:
♥Follow the Muse on Facebook & leave a comment on my Facebook page saying anything about my blog! Then comment on this post letting me know you did that!

Extra Entries:
(each counts as 1 extra entry)
♥Follow the Muse on Bloglovin'
♥Follow the Muse on Google Friend Connect
♥Follow the Muse on Twitter
♥Add me to Your Circle on Google +

~Giveaway is open to EVERYONE and ends January 31!~
*international winners will be responsible for any additional shipping/custom fees*

Inspiring Style: Mouse and Moe Eco Friendly Jewelry Review

2012-01-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

Happy MLK Day!
Today's Inspiring Style post is all about eco-friendly jewelry. I love just about all types of jewelry, but it's an added advantage when you can get jewelry that is not only nice to look at, but also good for the environment.

That's exactly what Mouse and Moe is all about.

Creator Emily Grace Goodrich decided to use her knowledge and experience as a painter and photograph to form jewelry and accessories made from recycled plastic shopping bags. Each piece of jewelry is heat fused and hand stitched.

Here's what Emily had to say about her line:

Muse: Why did you decide to make this type of jewelry?

Emily, Mouse and Moe: When I started making jewelry as a business, rather than just a hobby, one of the first priorities I had was to use recycled materials in one form or another. I'd like to say it's because I'm really into recycling, but it was more of a financial decision, as I was between jobs at the time. I started with broken costume jewelry, but continued to experiment with other materials, looking for something unique.

After seeing a video tutorial on fusing plastic bags, I was intrigued by the notion of finding a way to make fused plastic look like something other than melted trash. I also design jewelry for a fair trade company called Ember Arts that sells paper bead jewelry, and between the two, I've learned that I really just love the challenge of working with unconventional materials.

Muse: How difficult is it to make jewelry from plastic bags?

Emily: I have a penchant for choosing tedious activities for myself, and you might say that this jewelry is pretty difficult to make. I have to keep an eye out for specific colors of plastic, then wash and dry it, prep it, melt it, cut out shapes, and then hand stitch those tiny plastic shapes to wire. For some reason, I love the meditative hand stitching process, though, so it's definitely worth it to me!

~~~

The best part about the jewelry on Mouse and Moe is that, although they are made from recycled materials, they don't looked recycled at all. The plastic bags are paired with sterling silver and wire to spruce them up.
I received the Sundance necklace in cranberry and teal and totally love it. The material is sturdy and the color combination works very well.This is a preview of an upcoming lookbook post!So use the code Muse20 until the end of February on Mouse and Moe to get your own piece of eco-friendly jewelry for 20% off. Remember, each piece that you buy keeps another plastic bag out of landfills and the ocean.

What do you think of Mouse and Moe?

♥

A Tale of Versace

2012-01-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick, little post about my Versace for H&M story.

It all started back in June of 2011 when I first wrote a blog post about designer collaborations for my Fashion Headlines post. In that post I mentioned how the Versace for H&M line was probably going to be the biggest collab for the fall. I also said that I would be one of the first in line.

Fast forward to November. So yes, it was a pretty mammoth collaboration. But no, I was most definitely NOT one of the first in line. I forgot how early people get up to buy inexpensive fashion. I also forgot how many jerks there are who buy the fashion just to sell it for triple on eBay.

This is the line I waited in:You can't even see the H&M sign because that's how far back I was--and the line was even longer behind me. And it was cold.

I mentioned in this Shopping List post that I wanted to get my hands on 4 specific pieces: the faux fur vest, the black booties, the babydoll bodice dress and the leggings. I wasn't really a fan of the more colorful pieces in the collection.

Long story short: I waited in line from 6:45 AM to 11:15 AM as I watched as person after person left the store with a multitude of bags in hand. By the time I was actually allowed to shop (based on the color of my wristband) the only thing left were the black booties so I got them. I also ended up getting this yellow dress, but it was a size too big so I returned it.

I realized the only way I would get the items I wanted was to buy them on eBay. I sold the black booties because the heels were WAY too high for my taste, and I purchased the leggings and the bodice dress instead. Fortunately, the prices were only hiked up like 10% to 20% on the pieces I bought.I'll be sure to do a post with the leggings soon. I am definitely very happy to have the Versace leggings and the bodice dress as well. Although, I must say, I had to get this dress in a size 6 because the top part is made way too small (aka: for girls with flat chests). The faux fur vest was a Christmas gift from the hubs!

All in all, I like what I was able to get from the Versace for H&M collection, but I'm not waiting in a line ever again. Versace will have a Cruise collection for H&M starting January 19 and it's an online exclusive. I will not be a part of it as I'm now saving my money for the Jason Wu collaboration with Target on February 5. I plan on buying from that collection online instead of waiting in a line.

Do you plan to shop the Jason Wu for Target collection?

♥

Featured Fashionista: Patience

2012-01-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

Featured Fashionista ~ Patience from Iowa

Patience is a Zimbabwe transplant who now resides in Iowa, but her style is anything but country bumpkin. Every week I'm guaranteed to be in awe of her mix of bold and beautiful looks that are always on point, from head to toe. Her style reminds us that patience really is a virtue.
(and I see a leopard loafers trend...diggin' it)

Blog: Just Patience

What do you think of Patience's look?

Want to be a part of Featured Fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!

Check out a list of all my beautiful Featured Fashionistas for anyone you might have missed.

~~~
And check out these 8 Style Tips for a More Fabulous You on All Women Stalk!
♥

Lookbook: Seeing Red, Sparkles & Sequins

2012-01-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

Is it lookbook time already?

I tried to take photos of this look for such a long time. Dealing with DST and family/friends coming in town for the holidays put this shoot on the back burner. But I was able get these taken before we went out to dinner with the fam. Now, here it is and I'm so excited. Like--Jessie Spano doped up on caffeine pills--excited!

So the "necklace" is really the belt that came with this dress. I thought it made a really awesome necklace and that the green thrifted belt worked perfectly here. I think the detail on the thrifted belt is so brilliant, don't you? This look got jazzed up with my love of sequins and sparkles. First, with this sequin blazer that you've probably seen on the Muse before in an inspiring style post or whatnot. Also, the sparkle tights should be familiar to you as well since I'm clearly obsessed with them. And let's not forget one of my fave projects ever: these DIY booties that sparkle and shine.

After putting this post together I realized 3 things: I totally forgot to showcase the detail on the back of this dress. It's pretty cool and you're missing out, so my apologies. Also, my dimple is pretty prominent in these pics. The crater in my cheek must be getting bigger. And I think I've officially mastered the art of head tilting in outfit photos, wouldn't you agree?

Yes, that's a Transformers ring. I love it--don't you?

♥ Rory Beca dress & necklace ♥ Thrifted belt ♥ ApartStyle sequin blazer ♥ PEEK Brooklyn sparkle tights ♥ DIY F21 booties ♥ Gifted Transformers ring ♥

Do you like this look?
~~~
And the winner of the Delikate Rayne giveaway is...
Jasmine of AdamAlexMommy!

Makeup & Muses: The 2012 Beauty Poll

2012-01-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

Muses, let's start 2012 off right! Enhance your makeup and skincare game with the best products for your face. Websites like Apothica and SkinCareRx are at the top when it comes to delivering the very best beauty products for all skin types.

So take a look at the products I'm liking and pick your favorite from each category.
*Comments have been disabled on this post ~ please just answer the polls*

♥ The Smashbox Cosmetics Life Is Your Set eye pencil kit includes 5 blendable eyeliners with jojoba oil. The colors are: deep ocean blue, dark rich brown, shimmering metallic gold, jet black and deep jade green.

♥ The Too Faced Natural Eye kit features 9 super pigmented shades like nude beach, velvet revolver and cocoa puff to name a few. It's one of the best rated products on the site.

♥ The Cargo Eye Shimmer collection has 6 glamorous loose powder shadows like champagne rose and vibrant tangerine.

Pick Your Makeup

♥ Covet by Sarah Jessica Parker has a bevy of lovely scents like honeysuckle, amber and lavender.

♥ Fancy by Jessica Simpson has a floral fragrance infused with softer scents.

♥ Incanto Shine by Salvatore Ferragamo is fruity with a hint of pink peony, pineapple and cedar.

Pick Your Fragrance

♥ Rose petals and rose oil are used in the Eminence Sweet Red Rose cleanser to hydrate sensitive skin. The smooth cleanser nourishes your skin while removing dirt and oil.

♥ The Philosophy Purity Made Simple cleanser is a one-stop skin care treatment that deep cleans your pores. The pH-balanced formula is infused with jade and chamomile.

♥ Clear away irritated skin with the Murad Soothing Gel cleanser. Goji berry extract helps to exfoliate dry skin and relieve tightness.

Pick Your Skin Care

Movie Reviews: Missions, Shadows & Dragon Tattoos

2012-01-03T23:07:00.000-07:00

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol

The main reason for seeing this movie can be blamed on my girl crush. Yes, I have a girl crush on Paula Patton. I met her husband Robin Thicke a couple of years ago (he's such a hottie btw), and some day I must meet her too. On to the movie.

Everyone and everything was awesome. Crazy Tom Cruise was reminiscent of his first portrayal of Ethan Hunt many moons ago. Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and that "who wants to be a millionaire" guy were all wonderful at both the action scenes and the acting scenes. I was pleasantly surprised if you couldn't tell by all my kvelling. The girl from Midnight in Paris is in it as well. And let's not even start on Cruise running down the side of the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai.

Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

This is one of those movies on my list that I was going to see mainly because I enjoy the bromance between the main characters played by Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. I was also fascinated by it because Noomi Rapace portrayed the female lead. More on Noomi in my other review in this post.

A Game of Shadows was pretty funny with a lot of great disguises that made you laugh even more. But it didn't wow me in any way. The plot was interesting, but not really that intriguing. The acting was wonderful, of course, but sometimes I felt like so much was going on in the movie that it was hard to keep up. There are a few super clever moments, especially at the end, that will make you rate this movie higher than it probably deserves.

Overall: ♥♥♥

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

I must preface this review by saying that I have read the entire Lisbeth Salander series, and I even saw all the original Swedish movies. With that said, I still really enjoyed this American version. I don't know if anyone can play Lisbeth the way Noomi Rapace played the role, but Rooney Mara did very well. It's amazing how different she looked as Lisbeth compared to her natural self and her role in The Social Network.

Daniel Craig was pretty good and the American remake actually gave me more hope for the vision of this new series. If you've read the books or have even seen the original movies (or both) then you won't be disappointed by this remake. It sticks closely to the books (including the scene that probably gave it an R rating), which is always great.

Overall: ♥♥♥♥

Have you seen or plan to see any of these? Let me know your thoughts!

♥

Inspiring Style: WhimZ Accessories

2012-01-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

If you don't care for jewelry then this isn't the post for you (and probably not the blog for you either). But I'm certain that when it comes to accessories and jewelry, we're all saying the same thing: "Please sir, I want some more."

Ever since I was a little girl I've been a fan of beautiful baubles and jaunty jewels. I am a costume jewelry fanatic. I remember thinking how cool I looked with a bevy of rings on my fingers back when I was in middle school. The only type of jewelry that I couldn't get my hands on were earrings. My dad did not allow us to get our ears pierced, so when I was younger, pierced ears were always one of those things I wish I had.

As I got older, the idea of getting my ears pierced seemed a bit unnecessary and a little scary. Can you imagine a 25-year-old in Claire's shouting out a scream at the sight of a piercing gun? That's when I decided that I can still have fashionable ears without them being pierced. This is where WhimZ Girl Clip Earrings come into play.

I didn't wear clip-on earrings in high school because they always looked so gaudy and lame. I could never find a pair that actually looked stylish. This is where WhimZ Girl Clip Earrings differ from the pack. They are just as stylish as regular earrings. Their earrings, along with all the other accessories they sell, are both trendy and fashionable at just the right price.

The clip-on earrings come in more varieties than I could even mention in one post: from trendy feather accents to hoops and necklace sets. These dark gray leaf clip on earrings can easily be mistaken for regular earrings--and they probably look even better.

They don't fall off and they don't hurt. The best part is you turn the backing to the right to tighten and to the left to loosen--very easy stuff.

So if your ears aren't pierced, or you'd just like to try some clip-on earrings that are as fashionable and unique as regular earrings, then WhimZ Girl is the site for you. The prices are super reasonable, the shipping is fast, and the possibilities are endless.

And clip ons are just the beginning. You can find gorgeous selections of brooches in butterfly, cameo and flower designs on WhimZ Girl Brooches. The main site, WhimZ Accessories, is a one-stop destination for handbags, headbands, necklaces, rings and all types of jewelry--including regular earrings.For being a reader of the Muse you get a 10% discount to use on all three WhimZ websites. Just use the code FB10 to get 10% off any item (including sale items) from the sites. Also, all orders over $50 get a free gift and orders of more than $100 get a free gift and free shipping!

So what are you waiting for? Get your WhimZ on!

~~~
And check out the Oh to Be a Muse Facebook page to see my New Year's outfit!
♥

Sneak Peek: New Year's Night on the Town

2011-12-30T07:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday night I'll be ringing in the New Year with the hubby and a couple of friends. We'll most likely do dinner and then party in San Francisco. Since I want to be able to walk around and dance for hours, I will be sure to wear tights and outerwear to keep me warm and also flat shoes so my feet don't hurt in the morning.

Here is a sneak peek of what I'll be wearing for New Year's Eve!

The Pearlesque bracelet from this review post ~ new butterfly chain dangle clip earrings from eBay ~ Versace for H&M bodice dress and faux fur vest ~ Steve Madden booties ~ and Pretty Polly sparkly tights

What are you wearing to say adieu to 2011 and hello to 2012?

~~~
And here's a great little video of Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt singing a New Year's Eve duet!

♥

In Fashion: What I've Learned About Blogging

2011-12-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

♥Nothing makes blogging more special than

being a part of a community. It's nice knowing bloggers by their first names; and it's even better being able to meet them in person at blogger meet ups, conferences and special events.

♥Basically, it's my blog and I'll blog how I want to. We should always be sure that we don't lose sight on what's important to us when it comes to blogging. Write about what we want to write about without feeling pressure to feature brands or posts that others will like. If you want ads on your blog then that's fine. And if you're against that, then that's OK too. Write your blog the way you see it. That's the main reason we started this blogging venture in the first place.

♥Half of fashion blogging is what you do on your on blog, and the other half is what you do on other blogs. I've known for a while that blogging is a two-way street and that interaction is a great way to keep engaged with the other blogs you follow and with the blogs that follow you. But I think more people in the community should be aware of this as it's a great tool to have in your blog kit.

♥Making your blog stand out can be accomplished in a variety of ways, from having a layout that is unique to your blog, or even personalizing your logo or blog buttons on your sidebar. It's great to also try to find unique brands to partner with, creative posts to write, and blogging in your own voice. Most of my blog buddies have very unique blogging styles that separate their blogs from the rest, and that's half the reason why I visit them day in and day out.

♥A couple of times this year I took a "blogging break" and I know others who have done the same thing. The break is needed when you feel stuck in a rut and lacking inspiration. Usually, the best way to not feel this way or to get over this is by being happy in what you blog about and keeping it fun.

What have you learned about blogging?

♥

Pearlesque Bracelet Review

2011-12-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

Not sure if you've noticed, but the Muse has a new sponsor! C. Michelle Styles (check it out on the sidebar) is pretty much a one-stop shop that features a makeup, hair and fashion blog while also selling jewelry and accessories. So after you read about great fashion, you can actually shop great items on the C. Michelle Styles web store.

I was fortunate enough to receive this Pearlesque bracelet to review for you Muses! The bracelet, like many of the items on the site, is lead and nickle free with a stretch fit. The cool feature of both shiny pearls and sparkly rhinestones makes this bracelet a very elegant piece perfect for a night on the town.

Because it has a stretch fit, the Pearlesque bracelet can fit just about anyone. The rhinestones are encrusted all around the front with a very unique and detailed style. I can pretty much guarantee you that I'll be wearing this bracelet on New Year's Eve.

So if you're into chic elegance, I would definitely recommend this bracelet.

Here are a few of the other great pieces on the web store.

What do you think of the Pearlesque bracelet and the other jewelry?

♥

Happy [Fashionable] Holidays

2011-12-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Holidays Lovely Muses!

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season from now until New Year's! I'm leaving you with a couple of photos from my holiday table setting. My friends and family are visiting us over here in California all the way from Florida. We'll be showing them around, checking out some light shows and sipping on some eggnog and champagne.

Although, let me just say: I had some eggnog the other day and I have no idea how people gobble that stuff down. It's crazy intense.
By the way, since the hubs is Jewish, we tend to celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, and we open gifts in between. I got him some games and movies that he's been wanting all year, and he went behind my back--opened a separate eBay account and bought me the Versace for H&M fur vest that I wasn't able to get my hands on until now. Sneaky little bugger. ;)
Photos to come!

Will return Monday with more musings.

♥

Featured Fashionista: Karima

2011-12-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

Featured Fashionista

Karima from Maryland

Karima knows exactly how to put a look together--it's as simple as that. From her hair to her high, high heels, she expresses her love for fashion exquisitely. She follows her own dress code.

Blog: No Dress Code
What do you think of Karima's look?

Want to be a part of featured fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!

Check out a list of all my beautiful Featured Fashionistas for anyone you might have missed!
~~~
And the winner of the PEEK Brooklyn Bauhaus tights giveaway is...

Coriwestphal

And the poll results:

♥

Get Versatile with Delikate Rayne & a Giveaway ~ CLOSED

2011-12-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard of Delikate Rayne then it's about time you get familiar with this awesome clothing company. I've been a long-time fan and I'm happy to be able to bring them to your attention. Delikate Rayne was formed by sisters Komie and Meg to merge the "haphazard inventiveness of youth trends with the...artistry of high end contemporary design."

They wanted to branch out from the male-dominated social norms prevalant in their East Indian roots and create a grunge glam look that would abandon convention and embrace female beauty. Now doesn't that sound brilliant?

I was able to get this "Respect, Money, Power, Success" DR004, 4-in-1 tank that I've had my eyes on for months now. You can wear it four ways: as a dress/tank or as a crop top. The words on the tank read:

♥ "Respect, Money, Success"

♥ "Respect, Power, Success"

You can flip the tank upside down to change the word "Money" to "Power" and vice versa. You can wear the crop top to either show the words or to be a solid color without any words.

♥ Delikate Rayne 4-in-1 tank ♥ F21 pleather-style zip leggings ♥ F21 booties ♥ Missoni for Target bag

GIVEAWAY!
Now here's the best part! One lucky reader can win this awesome black slasher top from Delikate Rayne simply by entering this giveaway! Isn't it perfect for the weather?

How to Enter:
(leave a comment)

♥ Follow the Muse on Twitter and/or Facebook
♥ Follow Delikate Rayne on Twitter
♥ Tweet about this giveaway with the hash tag #DelikateRayne
♥ Sign-up for the Delikate Rayne newsletter

Extra Entries
Like Delikate Rayne on Facebook
Follow the Muse on Bloglovin

*Giveaway is open to U.S. & Canada residents and ends January 2!*

Fly South for the Winter with Fibi & Clo

2011-12-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's still the cold season, but sometimes it's nice to take your mind off the inches of snow, the below freezing temperatures and the bundled up coats, and instead focus on the warm sandy beaches. And although the Muse won't be spending this December in the warmer climates of Florida, we can all still imagine we're flying south for the winter with fibi & clo.

The idea behind fibi & clo stemmed from the designer's dream to take a line of sandals to her home state of Texas by means of a trunk show. The designer, AnaLiza, created the concept of a tupperware party--but with shoes--and named her sandal line after her two cats, fibi & clo. If you live in Texas, fibi & clo can even bring a trunk show right to your home!

Each pair is only $45, and as you can see, is creatively designed with a super summery appeal. It was hard for me to choose which pair to wear and review. I mean, look at the cascade sandals and the starfish pair--how cute are those?

Which pair is your favorite?

These turquoise sun sandals that I'm wearing are super comfortable. The thong doesn't make your toes feel weird, and the extra ankle strap adds to the style and beauty of the turquoise and gold circular designs on the front. I can't wait to wear these all day next summer. But I can always walk around my house with them on pretending it's 80 degrees out.

And you can too! Switch out your hot chocolate mugs for a mimosa, your layered snood for a beachy cover up, and your faux fur boots for these turquoise sun sandals.

What do you think of fibi & clo?
Are you taking any trips this holiday season?
~~~

And check out my feature on the Dea Rosa blog!
♥

Lookbook: Skirting Around Butterflies

2011-12-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

Yeah, that's right. This is a "one with nature" outfit post. I feel like I've been taking more lookbook photos lately. The hubs and I recently took a trip to Santa Cruz for the first time. We heard there was a park on the beach where butterflies liked to converge in the winter. We did manage to take a bunch of photos of both the butterflies and my new skirt and top.

I bought this Free People top back in November (because there's a Free People store minutes from my house, people. An actual brick and mortar store). The Mark + James Badgley Mischka skirt I bought online for a great deal. It was once going for $290 but I got it for $35! Total score.

Close up of the floral pattern on the Free People crop top and the ribbon belt and glitter embellishments on the skirt. I'm also wearing my favorite piece of Towne & Reese jewelry.

Look at that butterfly cluster!

In Santa Cruz we also strolled around the boardwalk, thought about going on the many rides (but didn't) and were fortunate enough to catch dozens of seals wading in the water and sleeping under the wharf.

♥ H&M Wayfarers

♥ Towne & Reese necklace

♥ Free People top

♥ Badgley Mischka skirt

♥ F21 leggings

♥ Steve Madden booties

What do you think of my look?

♥

Designer Jewelry that Shines at Holiday Parties

2011-12-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

Jewelry designers are sending a clear message this winter: Think novel. This season features fresh colors, unusual shapes and unexpected materials and textures, and jewelry is showing up in non-traditional places, too, such as the ankles and cuffs. Fashion’s overall trend toward depth and detail is apparent in designer and celebrity jewelry lines. Here are some of the hottest trends to wear at holiday parties and to help ring in the New Year with style, shine and sparkle.

Few will debate that crimson red and emerald green are the big colors for the winter season. Deep purple, vibrant blue and glowing amber are part of the jeweled palette, too. Silver is present, but not on its own. Black and silver luxury jewelry is the go-to choice for those who prefer a cooler spectrum. Heidi Klum’s Wildlife line is an affordable collection that hits the right fashion notes for the winter. The line features chunky necklaces and bracelets inspired by the popular costume jewelry of the early 1900s. Black, antique silver and rhinestones are featured in intricate designs and sizable shapes. Statement jewelry is best worn with discretion, such as with dresses that won’t make the outfit appear overly heavy or cluttered.

Mesh jewelry provides another affordable way to adorn outfits with a rich, textured look. Liquid Metal jewelry by Sergio Gutierrez offers a broad collection of mesh jewelry that has just the right balance of bling, mass and class. Cuff bracelets are an ongoing fashion trend, and mesh bracelets present the look with a softer, more tactile appeal.

Feathered earrings and hair extensions are continuing to grow in popularity, showing up on handbags, shawls and frocks as well. This light and airy - yet sculptural - material works beautifully for earrings, and the soft texture and colors frames and flatters the face as well.

The best aspect of the holiday trends for this winter is their variety and novelty. Women are sure to find something new that will keep them looking fashionable, yet that will also reflect their own personal styles and tastes. The key is to stay current with color, material, texture and application, then find the jewelry that makes one feel chic and beautiful, so that the new year can be welcomed with confidence and style.

This guest post was brought to you by Luxury Bazaar ~ a place where nothing is ordinary.

♥

Inspiring Style: TightsPlease

2011-12-09T09:27:00.002-07:00

I hope you're not tired of tights yet because there is another great company that I wish to tell you about--and who doesn't love a great pair of tights?

I thought I'd bring even more tights your way with the Tights Please A/W 11/12 lookbook! And there were so many options to choose from including animal and spotty tights to baroque and celeb style.

For some reason, the winter season is the time of year that is perfect for wearing tights. Based on this sparkly pair that you saw me in last week, you can assume that I am definitely a fan of this form of leg wear.

I was fortunate enough to get a pair of these fabulous Henry Holland alphabet multi lurex tights by Tights Please. Yes, I love them and was happy that I was able to get my hands on them before they ran out of stock. The fit is really great and so is the material.

As you can see, I am definitely enjoying these tights, especially when paired with the right shorts. It works so well because I wouldn't usually wear these shorts by themselves as I think they are a bit short, but they are perfect with tights.

This onyx chips bracelet is a really cool, chunky accessory that stretches. Totally diggin' it.

F21 leather jacket ♥ Stella McCartney top ♥ Charlotte Russe vest ♥ Dillard's shorts ♥ House of Holland tights by TightsPlease ♥ F21 booties ♥ Overstock Jeweler bracelet

So head on over to Tights Please and see what pair you'll fall in love with this season!

Are you inspired by this look?

How do you like to wear your tights?

♥

Makeup & Muses: Vegan Friendly Brushes & Dea Rosa

2011-12-07T09:08:00.003-07:00

What could be better than makeup that is both fierce and friendly?

The new Sigma Beauty Bunny Collection is a vegan friendly line of both full-size and travel-size brushes.

The full-size collection features 12 wonderful brushes made from Sigma's signature Sigmax HD fibers. Just check out how pretty both the brushes and the container look!

The synthetic brushes allow you to apply makeup without worrying about the product getting stuck in the bristles ~ aka, cleaner, longer-lasting brushes.

The brushes in the travel-size kit include: the E30 pencil, the E40 tapered blending, the E55 eye shading, the E65 small angle, the F30 large powder, the F40 large angled contour and the F60 foundation.

Oh, and did I mention that everything included is vegan friendly? So what are you waiting for?

Add the vegan friendly Sigma Beauty Bunny Collection to your makeup now! This could also make for a great stocking stuffer for the holidays.

Are you going to take a look at this collection?

~~~

I'd like to also take this time to introduce you to another great accessory that will be perfect for the holiday season.

I was recently introduced to the Dea Rosa Fall/Winter collection of handbags, and I became a fan of the snake skin features and bold colors. The best way to spice up a winter look is to add a bright color or a stunning pattern with your accessories.

My favorite bag from the Dea Rosa collection would have to be the Angkor Tangerine clutch and it's the perfect piece for a holiday party. Besides, who doesn't want a clutch in tangerine!

What do you think of Dea Rosa handbags?

~~~

As some of you might have heard, Google Friend Connect will no longer be available to blogs that are not hosted on blogger (blogspot). I think this is going into effect at the end of January. I'm not exactly sure of the impact, but please be sure that you are following the Muse on Twitter, Facebook and Bloglovin so that you can keep informed with the latest posts! And I don't want you to lose me as a GFC follower either, so make sure I'm following your blog elsewhere as well!

♥

Featured Fashionista: Erin

2011-12-05T09:34:00.004-07:00

Featured Fashionista

Erin from Colorado

Erin is a designer in the making with a great collection of clothing all her own. Visit her site and take a look at her sophisticated style, and don't forget to check out her E. Bleakley Twice Weekly segment where she shows off signature looks.

Blog: Truffles N Ruffles

What do you think of Erin's look?

Want to be a part of featured fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!

Check out a list of all my beautiful Featured Fashionistas for anyone you might have missed!

~~~

Also, check me out as the Spotlight Feature over at Creative Fashion!

♥

Peek Brooklyn Tights Giveaway ~ Closed

2011-12-02T09:02:00.003-07:00

Recently, I received a pair of Pretty Polly sparkle embellished tights from Peek Brooklyn and I couldn't have been happier. Now that it's winter I can wear my tights often and pair them with shorts, skirts and dresses.

The problem is, I was running a bit short on a good pair of tights so I was glad to get these sparkle tights from Peek Brooklyn. I'm sure you'll be seeing these more often on the blog during the winter months. They are super comfy and the sparkles remind me of stars in the sky.

The website has numerous tights, leggings and stockings from a variety of brands including Jonathan Aston, Anna Sui and House of Holland. Basically they have something for everyone.

GIVEAWAY

Now it's your chance to enter to win some Peek Brooklyn tights of your own! One lucky reader can win these beautiful Bauhaus Style Footless Tights by Jonathan Aston.

TO ENTER:

(leave a comment)

♥ Be a public follower of the Muse on Google Friend Connect

♥ Like Peek Brooklyn on Facebook

♥ Follow Peek Brooklyn on Twitter

♥ Answer the poll below!

What Is Your Favorite Style of Tights?

Giveaway is open to U.S. only.

Ends Dec. 16!

♥

Lookbook: Hell Bent for Leather

2011-11-30T08:51:00.000-07:00

This outfit came about because, like the title suggests, I was hell bent for leather. I've been wanting a great pair of leather shorts for a bit now and I finally found some. It's actually quite hard to find stores still selling leather shorts.

These are Lauren Conrad for Kohl's and they were actually the only leather shorts in the entire store--and they were on sale.

As you can see, I have much better light this time around. With DST, outfit photos have to be taken before 4PM or else you're done for.

Anyway, you might remember this Marc by Marc Jacobs top that I wrote about in this Inspiring Style post on Farfetch.

Everything else I'm wearing has made an appearance on the Muse before. The H&M wedge booties are my latest DIY project. I really, really like the way they turned out.

My default face always makes me look mad even when I'm not. So here's a smile.

What do you think?

♥

Inspiring Style: DIY Shoes

2011-11-28T08:58:00.001-07:00

One of the things on my 26 by 26 list is to complete more DIY projects. So far, so good. I did some stencil, pattern and paint work on my wall that you might have seen on my Twitter.

Then I decided to finally get my hands on some wedges! I've had these for about a year and I totally like them, I just don't wear them often enough. And I've been seeing a lot of DIY studded wedges online that have inspired me to get creative!
~~~

What You'll Need

♥ Need wedges, box cutter (or scissors), ribbon, rhinestones and glue gun with glue sticks

Let me tell you, I wasn't exactly sure what the hell I was doing at first. I just knew I wanted studs and ribbon. So this is what I did:

First Things First

♥ Line the bottom of the wedges with the silver glitter ribbon to get the proper length

♥ Cut it at the middle and start gluing

♥ It's better to put the glue on the ribbon section by section than putting the glue on the wedge

♥ The rhinestones happened to be adhesive so they stuck onto the wedges without any glue (which was awesome)

♥ So I started placing the rhinestones up the curve of the shoe

♥ Then I used the rhinestones that I took off my Heel Condoms and glued them up the back of the wedge

When In Doubt, Add More Glitz!

♥ Then I decided I wanted more ribbon so I started to line the wedge two more times on each side by gluing it small sections at a time

♥ Make sure you use the box cutter or scissors to cut the ribbon the correct length to fit the wedge

♥ It's tricky trying to keep the ribbon strips parallel so have patience. I have no patience as you can probably see, lol.

♥ Then I ran out of ribbon, but I'm not sure I would have continued up the wedge anyway.

Might end up redoing the back of the left wedge if I have time, but I am loving with the outcome.

What do you think?

~~~

If you liked this project then check out my jewelry making DIY from last year.

Also, check me out (and other fab bloggers) in the IFB Links A La Mode this week!

GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT

Edited by Taylor Davies

Thanksgiving is now officially behind us, so it’s time to start looking ahead to the coming holidays and all the fan-fair that comes along with them. From Black Friday shopping to holiday parties to festive DIY projects, there’s a lot of inspiration in this week’s Links a la Mode selections.

Along with all this inspiration, a few of our bloggers tackled some tough issues, from finding the balance between sexy and frumpy dressing in the workplace, vanity sizing, recession dressing and improving your blog posts. I thought these were important and critical to include for this week’s round up, because even as the holiday season gets into full swing, and we’re overcome with twinkling lights, festive parties and sequins galore – the same problems and difficulties we face the rest of the year will be here.

33 Avenue Miquelon: Has Black Friday Jumped The Shark?

Bon Vivant + A Budget: A Good Sweater Is Hard To Find

Clothes: Pepe Jeans To Launch Tru-Blu Jeans To Sustainable Fashion Market

Cosmolawlitan: Benetton Ads Spark Controversy but Embody Fashion Spirit

Fashion Is Evolution: How To Make A Book Clutch

Fish Monkey’s Writing Stuff: Not-Sexy Dressing

Forever Amber: Size Zero, My Ass

In Her Glam: Glam Feature Jill Allison

Koi Story: Hair Tutorial v2: Beehive

Oh To Be A Muse: Make Up and Muses: The Eyes Have It

Oranges & Apples: My Relationship With Make Up

Out Of Order: Easy DIY Bow Belt

Paperdoll Vintage: My Top Ten Online Vintage Shops

Paper + Cloth: 10 Crosby Is Here

Roses et Epines: Is The Most Exciting Industry In The World Turning Boring?

Semi: DIY Fringe Belt

Tansuann: Versace For H&M Timeline

The Style Confessions: Fashion For The Recession

The Window Shopper: Your Christmas Party Survival Guide

Statements in Fashion: How To Write Better Blog Posts

Guest Post: Holiday Gifting

2011-11-25T09:14:00.001-07:00

Is it Black Friday already?

With the holiday season upon us, it’s a great time to get into the spirit by shopping for jewelry--sterling silver to be exact. And it's always great to find presents for loved ones that they’ll cherish forever!

Are you looking for a spiritual gift that is just as fashionable? Well, you’re in luck because a Hamsa style sterling silver pendant is a great choice for a holiday gift. As Jay Sean proves, dashing style can be divine!

Sterling Silver Hamsa Pendant with Filigree & Bezel CZ for $39.99

Perhaps you’re on the lookout for a charming present that your significant other will adore. If that’s the case, feast your eyes on this heart sterling silver pendant. Jennifer Hudson did and looked every bit as radiant as the jewelry she wore.

NY Fifth Ave Designer Inspired Sterling Silver Pave Diamond CZ Heart Pendant for $44.99

Then again, if you’re shopping for someone who appreciates the simpler things in life, then hoop sterling silver earrings will work great as a holiday gift. Not only are they timeless, but they work well with any kind of style. You can see how they sparkle on Camilla Belle!

Sterling Silver Round Flat Hoop Earrings for $44.99

Now that you’ve seen a sample of silver fashion jewelry, you should definitely be in the holiday spirit and ready for Black Friday shopping! After all, there’s no greater joy than giving your loved ones a beautiful present that they adore.

This guest post was brought to you by Tracy Damas. Overstock Jeweler is a great choice when it comes to holiday shopping!

♥

What I'm Thankful For: Fashion Edition

2011-11-23T08:42:00.006-07:00

♥ Girls who rock menswear & who rock it well

♥ Fewer people wearing Crocs

♥ Designer collaborations for Target, H&M, Kohl's and the like

♥ Studs, studs and more studs

♥ The way Rachel Zoe dresses her son

♥ Legwarmers in the winter time

♥ That natural hair is the new hotness

♥ Gwen Stefani, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana

♥ Easy to find DIY projects on YouTube

♥ Brands working properly with bloggers

♥ Motorcycle leather jackets

♥ The lack of Ed Hardy

♥ Pinterest, Instagram, Polyvore, IFB & ShopStyle

♥ Fashion bloggers in the fashion community

~~~

Since I don't post on Thursdays...

Happy Turkey Day!

~~~

Also, What Mimi Writes is having a great Shopbop giveaway!

♥

Featured Fashionista: Madison

2011-11-21T09:21:00.001-07:00

Featured Fashionista

Madison from London

Madison has such a cool style that's just so hard to come by. She finds a great way to highlight her wonderful DIY pieces (which are some of the cutest I've seen) while also showing her flare for vintage style. Every piece of fashion on her site has a tale to tell so stop by her blog and listen up!

Blog: Fashion Tales

What do you think of Madison's look?

Want to be a part of Featured Fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!

Check out a list of all my beautiful Featured Fashionistas for anyone you might have missed.

♥

Shopping List: Versace for H&M

2011-11-18T08:47:00.001-07:00

There has already been so much talk about the Versace for H&M line that to some people, this post might seem like beating a dead horse. But I haven't written anything about the collab so I thought I would let you all know the pieces that I'd like to get when they become available in stores Saturday morning.

You might remember that I love designer collaborations as I've written about them in numerous blog posts like Inspiring Style: Lanvin for H&M and Fashion Headlines for June. In that Lanvin post, you might remember that I thought I got to H&M early, but in fact, by the time my friend and I arrived almost everything was already gone.

This will not happen again. I have a plan and I'm on a mission.

The price range for the Versace looks is from about $20 to $400, but I plan on being smart with my money and giving myself a budget. I had pretty much stopped shopping for a couple of months because I knew this was coming.

Of the items you see here, my goal is to try to get everything in black, as in:

the vest, the suede boots, the leggings and the fitted bodice dress

But I'll be fine if I only get 3 of the 4 as long as one of them is that fabulous vest!

~~~

So wish me luck for Saturday!

Are you gearing up to shop this collaboration? Which pieces are your favorite?

~~~

By the way, I'm off to see Happy Feet 2 tonight--are you planning to see it?

♥

Lookbook: Daylight Saving Woes

2011-11-15T23:24:00.001-07:00

This is what happens when Daylight Saving Time comes around. It gets dark at like 5 PM, which is waaaaaaaay too early for street lights to go on. Do you know how difficult it is to take outfit photos in the dark, especially when you don't want to use the flash?

This is what it's like!

I just wanted to showcase this sweater top that I've had for a while but never really got to wear back in Arizona. Now that it's about 65 degrees out, I can not only wear this top, but I can also pair it with these really comfy sweater leggings and some old faux fur boots.

Seriously though, I've been wearing this sweater a lot recently because it's just so easy to put on when it's cold outside. See how much I've been wearing it?

Next time I'll prepare a lot better and take outfit photos out in the park and over the weekend where I'll have a better background and light for hours.

~~~

At least these things around the web managed to cheer me up!

~~~

What do you think?

♥

Interview: Find Out What Your StyleSays

2011-11-14T09:41:00.006-07:00

If you're a blogger (and if you're reading this then you most likely are) then you know how much fun it is to find a new online site that you just love. I mean, who isn't going ga-ga over Pinterest, sharing photos with Instagram, and creating sets with Polyvore?

The fact is, most bloggers love to find great websites that add to their online experience of shopping, sharing and styling.

And StyleSays is looking to be that next great website! Check out what Jess Lam, the creator of StyleSays, has to say about his site.

~~~

Shop with Confidence, Shop with StyleSays

Oh to Be a Muse: Tell us about yourself.

Jess Lam from StyleSays: My name is Jess and I started working on fashion sites with a couple friends back in June. We launched StyleSays in mid-September. Originally I’m from a small farming town in Oklahoma. Lots of corn and cows but not much couture. I came to California for school and haven’t been able to leave.

Muse: And what about the site?

SS: StyleSays is a place for close friends to meet online and shop hundreds of curated stores. The two biggest benefits to using StyleSays are 1) trusted advice from your friends and 2) sales notifications on specific items in your collections. The collections are essentially wishlists with sales updates that you can theme however you like. The overall goal is to help people make more confident purchases online through valued advice and pricing updates.

(a picture of Jess' StyleSays profile)

Muse: What's one big benefit of the online shopping experience?

SS: To talk with friends while you shop! We have both real-time chatting and offline messages, in case your friends aren’t on at the same time as you. So when you find an item you want advice on or just want to share you can click “Send to a friend” and they’ll see the item and message when they check their email or log onto StyleSays.

Muse: What is the biggest difference between your site and other sites? What sets you apart?

SS: We are really focused on helping you shop with real life friends. Many sites allow you to share clothing and pictures with a large, somewhat random audience. Expressing yourself in that way can be really fun but when you’re shopping you need something a little more valuable. Think of it like this, when you walk out of a fitting room you'd rather get your friend's opinion of your look rather than some random stranger shopping in the store with you. This is where StyleSays really separates itself.

~~~

To top it off, StyleSays is currently giving away two pairs of Uggs! Just visit their giveaway page and choose the friend you want to win with.

What do you all think of StyleSays?

♥

Movie Review: Movie Hopping

2011-11-11T09:07:00.002-07:00

The date: 11/11/11 is a big day for movies, and while I was moving, the hubs and I spent a lot of time seeing movies because 1: we love movies and 2: we didn't have cable and internet for a while.

Then I realized that I haven't done a movie review on the blog since September so I thought it made sense to do a post all about how I've been ~~wasting~~ spending my time.

Tower Heist was just an overall funny movie. It had no real substance; it didn't really make you think; but it did make me laugh for the most part.

Eddie Murphy was the best character--unless you count Miss Iovenko who swore up and down that she was never studying for the bar.

It had some parts that didn't really make sense, but I could see past that seeing that it was a comedy.

I give it 3 of 5 hearts!

♥♥♥

I went into In Time knowing that it wasn't going to be the best movie of the year. I didn't care. I was really enthralled with the movie's concept so it didn't matter if the acting kinda sucked--I was all in.

Overall, JT didn't do such a bad job (generally, he's a decent actor) and the concept was very interesting. I just thought there was a lot of unnecessary lull and weird love scenes.

I give this film 3 of 5 hearts!

♥♥♥

Now don't judge me for seeing Real Steel because it's a kiddie movie or even a silly movie. I don't care. I love robots. I will see any movie with a robot in it.

The best part about this movie was the little kid. He was a very believable actor and his character worked so well with the robot.

I give it 3 of 5 hearts!

♥♥♥

I had to see Moneyball because I'm pretty much in love with Brad Pitt. I've loved him for a very long time and nothing will ever change that.

This movie is based on a true story about how a general manager (Pitt) for the Oakland A's uses a unique computer-generated method by Jonah Hill's character to turn the team into a success.

I give it 4 of 5 hearts!

♥♥♥♥

Have you seen any of these movies--or any other movies--recently?

P.S. Thanks for all the great, insightful comments on the last post!

p.p.s - please take a second to vote for my friend Gaby in the Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful Contest!

Thanks!

♥

Makeup and Muses: The Eyes Have It

2011-11-09T08:42:00.001-07:00

So I think we all know that my Makeup and Muses posts are about beauty in the form of makeup, skincare, nails and the like. This post is definitely about 'the like'.

And recently I was on Refinery 29 and I read a post about a man here in California (Gregg Homer) who has created a laser that can change eye color from brown to blue. The procedure is irreversible and still in the beta phase, but apparently, the process takes as much time as it takes to watch a Covergirl commercial.

According to the inventor, "people like the depth of a light eye," which I guess is supposed to mean that having a lighter eye color will make you more likable? I don't know. I read a lot of the comments on the post and it seemed like half of the readers were offended by the invention while the others didn't see the harm in it.

I can totally see both POVs: What's the problem with permanently changing your darker eyes to lighter eyes when you can already do it temporarily with contacts? And how is this so bad when people go under the knife every day to change their entire face & body à la Heidi Montag.

On the other side, should we really endorse one more thing that says one look is better than another? So if your eyes are darker does that mean that you are some way inferior to people with lighter eyes?

I'm not sure how I feel because, like I said before, I can see both viewpoints. When I was in middle school I really wanted to have lighter eyes because I thought they looked cooler. But one day I followed my friend to the bathroom to watch her put in her contacts and the entire process totally freaked me out. So I guess that means I'm stuck with my brown eyes. If Van Morrison can write a hit song about a brown eyed girl then I think I'll take my chances.

On a related note, check out this post on the embarrassing things women do for beauty.

What do you think: is beauty in the Eye of the beholder?

~~~

Also, go check out my interview about why I became a fashion blogger over at Style Diaries!

~~~
And the winner of the Tara Lane Designs Etsy Shop giveaway is:

Diane of Snapshot Fashion!

♥

Inspiring Style: Balmain Resort 2012

2011-11-07T07:56:00.001-07:00

Now that I've moved more north it actually feels like fall here in California. And I know everyone is having fun dressing in layers and scarves this November, but I recently got internet back and one of the first things I spotted online was the Balmain Resort 2012 collection.

It rocked my socks.

OK what do you guys think?

I'm not only loving the clothes, but the belts and the heels as well. Everything is just so wonderfully styled.

Even though my eyes are on Resort, I'm still searching for the perfect chunky knit and red pants to complete my fall wishlist that I mentioned in this inspiring style post.

Anyway, I have to finish unpacking now that I've moved to the Bay Area. I hope you muses had an awesome weekend!

~~~

And I was interviewed in this video by the wonderful Wade Lee all about the Emerging Designers for Phoenix Fashion Week!

♥

FBFF: Light Reading & Vacay Pics

2011-11-04T09:31:00.003-07:00

So sorry for my absurd lateness. I've been in the middle of moving and had hardly any internet connection. Apologies.

I still only have internet sparingly, but hopefully life will go back to normal some time next week when the internet gods bestow me with a high speed connection.

In the meantime, please read this Fashion Beauty Friend Friday post all about the last 5 books I've read. Then take a look at some travel photos at the bottom.

~~~

Judging by my Goodreads account, you can see that I read a lot of books in the months of August & September. Here's the rundown:

Divergent - very cool dystopia type of book about a society where you have to choose whether you're Erudite, Candor, Dauntless, Amity or Abnegation. If you don't fall into one of those categories then you're Divergent--and that means trouble.

Stealing Faces - I'm a lover of a great mystery, especially one where the protagonist spends the first half of the book stalking the murderer until he realizes that he's being watched.

Mockingjay - The last book in the Hunger Games series. It has a great ending and must be read with the other 2 books in the series, of course. This book is about what happens when you decide to defy your society. Read the series before the movies come out.

The Help - I only read this because I knew that I was going to see the movie. The book tells the stories of two maids and one young writer in Jackson, Mississippi. The book is wonderful and so is the movie.

Style A to Zoe - Rachel Zoe's book on style and fashion. I felt like the majority of the stuff in this book was pretty much fashion common sense. But I really enjoyed the section on home decor--that made me want to become Jeremiah.

Connect with the other FBFF posts here!

~~~

Here are some photos from the vacation!

Random coyote in Death Valley ~ Me & the hubs as Jack & Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas

Me at La Reve in Las Vegas (it's like Cirque du Soleil but with water) ~ the Hoover Dam

About to do a Zipline on Fremont Street in Vegas ~ Occupy San Francisco

The lobby at the Wynn Hotel in Vegas ~ Me & the pups in Death Valley ~ Yosemite

The hubs and I doing the actual zipline on Fremont street, aka, old school Vegas ~ can check this off my 26 by 26 list

The hubs with Inigo, King of Yosemite ~ Me ~ the hubs with the pups

Yummy crepe at Paris Hotel ~ Look at those pups!

Vegas hotels like the Bellagio!

What do you think?

♥

Featured Fashionista: Dina

2011-10-28T09:28:00.001-07:00

Featured Fashionista

Dina from Norway

Dina is probably the most adorable thing I've seen on the internet in a while. Seriously--her style tickles my cute bone. Another thing that I love about her looks is that she finds the most darling ways to accessorize with props from handbags and hats to fruit plates and books. Her style is guaranteed to at least make you smile.

Blog: Fashion Candy Floss

What do you think of Dina's look?

Want to be a part of Featured Fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!

Check out a list of all my beautiful Featured Fashionistas for anyone you might have missed.

♥

Lookbook: To the Maxi

2011-10-26T09:31:00.002-07:00

So I've been super, super busy recently. I feel like I'm always saying that but this time it's true. I've been pushing myself to the max the past couple of weeks because the hubs and I are moving--again!

I swear we're like nomads. I don't think I've lived in the same place for more than 2 years since high school. We just moved to Arizona earlier this year and now we are taking the pups to the San Francisco Bay area. Let me know if you live there, are awesome and want to hang out! :)

I got this maxi dress from Shopbop with a gift card that I won. Like everyone else, I want to have a go-to maxi of my own. My problem is that I'm very short and I can't wear them with flats, which means that a "go-to" maxi is now a "put on platform heels" maxi. But that's OK because I love the stripes and the ease.

Gifted elephant necklace; C&C California maxi dress; Dolce Vita clogs; H&M cardigan

The dogs kept getting in my shot because they're way too used to being in front of a camera. Every time I ask my hubby to take photos for my blog he has to snap at least 100 photos of the dogs too.

~~~

By the way, I was featured as the Best Dressed Reader on Glamour.com's style blog today!

~~~

What do you think of my maxi look?

Are you in the Bay Area?

♥

Makeup and Muses: PMD Regeneration System

2011-10-24T08:42:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday Muses! Hope you had a great weekend!

You might have remembered a makeup and muses post back in April when I reviewed the Personal Microderm System from SkinCareRx. The at-home system had some positives and negatives for me. I really enjoyed that it came with a serum and moisturizer to use with the microdermabrasion system, but it was only a small tube.

So this time I was able to get my hands on the PMD Daily Cell Regeneration System, which included a cleanser, toner and moisturizer. This line of products is supposed to boost the treatment results of the PMD system.

After my first review, I know that a few of you were a bit uncomfortable with putting an electric product on your face, which I totally understand. The great thing is now I can use the regeneration system--cleanser, toner & moisturizer--with or without the microderm.

The cleanser ~ doesn't have an awkward smell and is easy to use

The neutralizing toner ~ the best thing about the system is the toner because it doesn't burn when I put it on after the cleanser

The moisturizer ~ soothes my dry skin without feeling heavy

Overall, I'm a fan of the regeneration system, and I think you can use it whether you have the PMD or not.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Now, 6 months later, have any of you tried any PMD related products yet?

(I've decided to do posts only on Monday, Wednesday & Friday)

Inspiring Style: Feeling Farfetch

2011-10-21T07:55:00.004-07:00

I'm sure you all have heard of Farfetch.com, but if you haven't, then take a couple of minutes to read about this fab site.

Like many other other shopping sites, Farfetch allows you to shop a plethora of brands for both men and women. The best part, though, is that you can find designer clothing from independent fashion boutiques all over the world.

It took me forever to find something to wear with this post, but that's only because there are so many great options to choose from on the website. You can from designer brands from Acne to Yves Saint Laurent--all at a variety of prices.

Even the sale items are great.

If you're looking for contemporary dresses for one of the many parties in the fall and winter, then look no further. You can find a great Marc Jacobs dress from a nice selection of ready-to-wear styles.

I was fortunate to get two great items from Farfetch recently: a Stella McCartney cheetah print top and a Marc by Marc Jacobs cutout dress. The clothing shipped within a week and they look pretty much like they looked online. I'll be taking lookbook posts with these soon.

Basically, if you're into online shopping (and who isn't these days) then consider putting Farfetch.com on your radar. It's a great place to find quality clothes and accessories in a variety of styles, from a number of designers and boutiques.

Have you shopped Farfetch?

♥

Featured Fashionista: Kara

2011-10-19T08:17:00.001-07:00

Featured Fashionista

Kara from Florida

Kara has always been a great blogger. I've been following this Florida native for a while now because her blog showcases a ton of variety in her posts--from DIYs to Bloggers of the Month features. She's as creative as it gets, and it's written all over her looks and even her nails.

Check out her menswear inspired fitted blue jacket that she rocks so well!

Blog: Sprinkles in Springs

What do you think of Kara's look?

Want to be a part of Featured Fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!

Check out a list of all my beautiful Featured Fashionistas for anyone you might have missed.

♥

Lookbook: High or Low - Tip on the Tightrope

2011-10-17T08:33:00.002-07:00

So you know how much I love a good high-low right? If you don't, then you should read this inspiring style post. Anyway, I'm so glad that I was able to finally get my hands on a mullet skirt.

I wore this for dinner and drinks the other night. I ended up being a bit overdressed, but that's sort of the story of my life. :)

Asos top ~ Free People high-low skirt ~ Charlotte Russe leopard print cutout heels ~ Jewelry Shop NBC and Towne & Reese ~ Vintage Morris Moskowitz clutch

I'm not doing much shopping now, but I just happened to be on the Free People website when I saw this gorgeous pale pink skirt on sale! It was originally going for $88, but I was fortunate to get it for only $30! Isn't that a blogger's dream? You can also get it in mocha.

~~~

What do you think of my look?

♥

26 By 26

2011-10-15T09:22:00.008-07:00

I saw my friend Tina's 24 Before 24 list, and it made me think that making a list of things you'd like to accomplish is definitely a good way to get stuff done!

The items on my list aren't all fashion related. They are just things that I need to accomplish so I can stop wishing to accomplish them. I might not get all 26 of these items completed by my birthday, but life is a journey, not a destination, am I right?

♥Start working out on a regular basis ~ aka 3 times a week (I've been around models for way too long, lol)

♥Dance my heart out at an '80s Night (where they play "P.Y.T." non-stop

♥Experience the joy of a Zip Line

♥Finally visit Vegas

♥Grow out my natural hair

♥Ride an ATV or similar off-road vehicle

♥Try my hand at more DIY projects

♥Get another feature in a magazine (print or online)

♥Update my passport with my married name

(not sure they'll let me out of the country if I don't)

♥Finally get a headstone made for my father's grave

♥Record myself singing on YouTube

♥Get my makeup done professionally at least once

♥Re-gain my level of fluency in Spanish

(I studied it for 5 years!)

♥Organize my closet

(my office-closet)

♥Draw/Paint more

♥Finally get a job that I LOVE

♥Re-vamp my blog to give it more of a magazine look

♥Eat healthier ~ less carbs, more veggies

(I'm a total carb-o-holic)

♥Be more outdoorsy in general (hiking, mountain biking, etc)

♥Volunteer outside of fashion

♥Go wine tasting and find a wine that I love

(so I can be snooty and stuff)

♥Watch less reality TV

(these drawings are ba-na-nas!)

♥Reach my social media goals

♥Do a professional photo shoot

♥Water or jet ski

♥Play a competitive game of volleyball

(I was on the team in high school)

Of course, there are SO many more other things that I would love to do; they just aren't things that I think could get accomplished in the next 4 months.

The deadline is my 26th birthday, which is February 23. Wish me luck!

Do you have a list of your own?

~~~
By the way, I was featured in the Magnum Ice Cream Doses of Decadence video series at the Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference.

You know when you see yourself on video and it's like--OMG, is that what I sound like? Yeah, well, apparently that's what I sound like, lol.

If you can, excuse the fact that I look foolish because I had just walked in from the rain. And thanks to Magnum & Sammy from Sammy Davis Vintage for interviewing me!

http://magnumicecream.tumblr.com/post/11443355469/bargain-finds-video-three-of-our-doses-of

♥

Giveaway: Tara Lane Designs - CLOSED

2011-10-13T09:52:00.003-07:00

I realize that I've had a lot of various giveaways on the Muse lately, but I guess I've just been in the spirit of giving. So when my blogger friend and Etsy shop owner Tara of Haute-Lunch asked if I would host a giveaway for her new store, I was more than happy to oblige!

I remember a few months ago when I first started following Tara's blog. I'm not sure if she followed me first or vice versa, but I do know that I immediately fell in love with her blog's name. I mean: "haute lunch" -- how creative is that?

Then I got to know her (in the virtual sense) and I found out that she is a totally awesome blogger with a very creative side. Now she's putting that creativity to good use with her own Etsy shop called Tara Lane Designs.

Visit her shop for unique friendship bracelets, beaded necklaces and earring and even super cute adjustable rings. This is a ring she made me!

Here is how you can enter to win any item from her shop valued at up to $15!

Mandatory Entries

♥Must be a public follower of Oh to Be a Muse through Google Friend Connect

♥Visit Tara's Shop and leave a comment saying which item is your favorite

Extra Entries

♥Add her shop to your Favorites on Etsy

~~~

*Giveaway Ends Oct. 27 ~ Open to Everyone*

Phoenix Fashion Week 2011

2011-10-11T08:33:00.001-07:00

Warning: This post is photo-heavy!

Let me say that I had a ton of fun styling for Phoenix Fashion Week from Oct. 5-8. It started with the Fashionably Pink show to raise awareness for breast cancer. Survivors and local celebs walked the runway at the Musical Instrument Museum. If you've been following my blog then you know I've covered the events on my blog before including Fashion Rocks MIM, the Emerging Designer Showcase and the Model Casting Call.

Most of these photos are from the three days of fashion week at Talking Stick Resort where the models walked a poolside runway that was more than 60-feet long.

Some Stylists: Ebony, Gabi, Trenae, Johanna, Gia, Me and Belen

Walking the Red Carpet with some friends and my hubby. I did this during the break of styling between Runway Show 1 and Runway Show 2.

Fashion Week After Party with fellow stylist Gabriela and Trenell Floyd, designer for Deeds of Love

I just like how this photo turned out with the bubbles on top of Talking Stick Resort
~~~

Emerging Models: Brittany, Christina, Ashley, Cassie, Bernina, Kirsten & Rachel M.

Emerging Models: Cassie, Aleksandra & Victoria

Emerging Models: Nikolai, Rachel E., Alexis (the model winner) & Rachel M.

~~~

Behind-the-scenes photos from backstage where me and the other stylists were dressing the models right before they walked the runway.

(photos taken with my phone so not as great in quality)
The boys in Jones Select - ostrich feathers on a top - the girls in sparkles
In the tent - young models - the ladies in Hourglass Apparel
Model Cassie in Silvia Bours - Models Cassie, Victoria & Tiffany in Blue Bird Denim - Other Models

Me and Models: Nori, Rachel E. Aleksandra, Gabi, Briana, Kira & Alexis in Indi Apparel
Me and Models: Aleksandra, Victoria, Cassie, Yosimi, Gabi, Yomaira & Nori in Diary of Joli with designer Joli' Ri'chard
~~~

Fashionably Pink Celebrity Models including Mexico's Next Top Model judge Jo Lance

Breast Cancer Survivors who modeled for Fashionably Pink
♥

Makeup and Muses: Fall Makeup

2011-10-09T09:58:00.003-07:00

♥Smashbox Girls on Film blush rush ~ One of my favorite places to shop for makeup has got to be Apothica. I mean, have you shopped there? It's brilliant. The site has a ton of makeup and skincare choices, including this Smashbox blush.

I've gotten super into blush since my Lumiere review. The blush rush in pose adds a rosy pink color to your cheeks to accentuate your features for long-time wear.

Get this at Apothica for $24!

Girls on Film Blush in Pose

♥Nars velvet matte lip pencil ~ What's really cool about the lip pencil is it's unique size. Its jumbo crayon size makes it easier to hold as you color your lips in a long-lasting matte finish.

Enriched with vitamin E, the pencil comes in a variety of 16 shades that are perfect for fall, including train bleu, dolce vita and cruella to name a few.

Find this at NARS for $24!

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

♥Deborah Lippmann Single Ladies nail color ~ I must admit: I haven't used a Deborah Lippmann product as of yet, but I'm really exciting to get this nail color.

I've been perusing her site and there are so many great shades to choose from, including this vibrant, scarlet red shade that is chip-resistant. Isn't is just a wonderful color for fall?

Buy this at Lippmann Collection for $16!

Single Ladies Nail Color

What makeup products are you into this fall?

♥

Inspiring Style: Get Fit with Lululemon

2011-10-07T10:04:00.001-07:00

I don't typically talk about working out on this blog mainly because I've been very bad about doing it myself. My idea of working out lately has been walking my dogs, the occasional P90X and random power jogs to the gas station to award myself with something truly unhealthy.

My main problems are two things: I don't have a gym where I live and I don't have the type of gear necessary. So what I need to do to get myself back in the workout groove is to stock up on the proper attire and then get more serious about it.

I always find working out to be a ton of fun once I've done it. It's the getting there that kind of blows, wouldn't you agree?

Working out ain't easy. But it is a lot easier when wearing the proper attire. That's where Lululemon comes in. The clothing makes working out more comfortable as they are specifically tailored for exercise.

The yoga pants are breathable, stretchy and already pre-shrunk. The sports bras come in a wide variety of sizes, colors and support. And the socks don't make your feet sweat. All the underwear is made of mositure-wicking fabric and have no visible lines--what could be better?

You can find everything you need for a workout from mats and gym bags to headbands and sports bottles. The apparel works well for running, dancing, riding or just plain working out at the gym.

So my goal is to get my workout on, but if for some reason that doesn't quite pan out, at least it's fall so I'll just cover up in layers.

Do you own anything from Lululemon?

What's your workout routine?

♥

Featured Fashionista: Megan

2011-10-05T08:39:00.001-07:00

Featured Fashionista

Megan from Connecticut

Megan is a laid-back gal with a tremendous love of fashionable finds. Her 'dress for less' section includes great pieces for the girl on a budget. She also keeps us up-to-date with her style with a weekly fashion roundup. She's casual yet chic, and you can't go wrong with that combo.

Blog: Closet-Fashionista

What do you think of Megan's style?

Want to be a part of Featured Fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!

Check out a list of all my beautiful Featured Fashionistas for anyone you might have missed.

~~~

And the winner of the DiViene $75 gift card giveaway is Sugar Sugar!

♥

Lookbook: It's Always Sunny in Phoenix

2011-10-03T09:34:00.001-07:00

Oh, don't mind the fact that I'm wearing a bright yellow summer dress in fall. Didn't I tell you I live in Arizona? This state hasn't yet realized that the season has changed so I'm still milking this dress for what it's worth. At least I added a striped cardi, right?

I can't remember if I've worn these wedges on the Muse before, but if not, then here are my wedges! I got them for my NY trip and I wore these to IFB Con. They are mad comfortable.

Later on I belted this cardi over the dress and it looked pretty awesome, if I do say so myself, but I totally didn't take any photos of that for this lookbook...so just imagine it and be in awe. :)

Do you like this look?

~~~

I was also included in the IFB Links A La Mode!

SPRING FORWARD, FALL BACK

Edited by: Collette Osuna of Statements in Fashion

I’m not sure about you, but just as men look forward to Fall for sporting events that keep them on the couch, I look forward to Fall for my own selfish reasons......adding to my closet collection!

If you enjoy sipping a cup of coffee while you browse your favorite online shopping sites, or if you prefer to rise with the sun to open the doors of your favorite Mall, Fall shopping is the time for you.

Thanks to Fashion Week, we have all had a chance to peek at the newest clothing, boots and accessories that will be filling up retail stores everywhere this season.

This weeks links focus on hot Fall runway trends, Collection debuts, DIY’s, makeup & hair tips, and even how to manage deadlines. Fall is back bloggers, and with a vengeance!

THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP: LINKS À LA MODE: SEPTEMBER 29TH

ChiCquero: Mongolian Style Makeup Editorial

Mahlia Calloway: This Seasons Must Haves

Girl Loves Color: Color on the Runway: Mary Katrantzou

The Loudmouth: On Detours & Deadlines

Angela Osborn: Dear White Shirt, I love you very much!

This is a Yes: My Clothing Picks - Still for the Summer and Already for the Fall

Leia's Delights: Shopping Philosophy - knowing when to spend or splurge

Wishing for Chanel: Wear the runway trend now - Purple hues at Prabal Gurung S/S12

Fashion Dynamite: How I wore my favorite fall trend - the cape

Kirstin Marie: A small collection of my most coveted Fashion Inspiration DIY blogs.

Dress Code: High Fashion: Jean Paul Gaultier F/W 11/12

Bang byLo: How to salvage a pair of shoes with glitter

V is for Olive: Discovering the hidden gems of the California desert

Juliets Lace: Autumn tips, accessories and cover ups.

The Chic Sheet: Three Spring Trends To Try Now

WanderLost: My top 10 favorites for Fall

The Style Confessions: One way to style your Missoni for Target find

Believe in Faery Tales: Eden Park or 'The Why to Paris' - An intern's tale

Style Sizzle: 5 Barbie Style Lessons

Oh to Be a Muse: Keeping it Real, Natural Hair Care

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Canvas Print Giveaway

2011-10-01T09:17:00.001-07:00

The Muse loves a well-decorated home. And one of the things to make a home look great is wall art. I'm a fan of canvases and gorgeous photographs, so the idea of putting the two together truly blew my mind.

I'm also a fan of my dogs, especially my first dog Inigo Montoya. You might recognize him from this Chic and Fuzzy post from last year. The hubs and I have talked about cloning and freezing him (but never stuffing him). Those things might be a bit out of reach, so being able to memorialize him on a canvas seemed like the next best thing.

Don't call us creepy--just call this cute. I was able to put a photo of his adorable little Pomeranian self on an 8'-by-10' canvas with the help of Easy Canvas Prints.

How cute is that?

You can easily upload an image, choose a border and customize the size. I was able to get this by winning a giveaway from the lovely Cafe Fashionista, and now you can win this too!

Prize: An 8x10 Canvas Print

(not of my dog, even though I know you want this!)

How to Enter

♥ Must be a public follower of Oh to Be a Muse through Google Friend Connect

♥ Become a fan of Easy Canvas Prints on Facebook

Leave your email in the comment stating what you've done to enter.

Giveaway ends October 8!

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Only eligible to U.S. residents, excluding Hawaii & Alaska

Makeup and Muses: Lumiere Cosmetics Review

2011-09-29T09:42:00.001-07:00

Recently, I was contacted by Lumiere Mineral Cosmetics to do a review of a few samples of their products. I had never used Lumiere before so I thought it would be a great way to not only try out a new brand but to also tell you all about it here on makeup and muses.

Before I even received the samples I had to fill out a short questionnaire. The questionnaire asked about my skin tone, my skin type, a head shot and more. I liked that I had to fill this out because it made me feel like the beauty products would be more tailored to my unique skin.

Lumiere skin and beauty bar products are said to naturally enhance the finest features while minimizing problem areas. For me, I tend to have dry skin and some acne scars. So I'm looking for something that can even my skin tone without making it even drier than normal.

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The media sample kit that I received included:

3 eye pigments - deep plum, hypnotic and chocolate covered cherries

2 blushes/bronzers - fresh roses and spiced apple

2 foundations - cashmere and flawless face

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Let me preface by saying that I'm not used to mineral makeup, but I've always wanted to try it. I put on the cashmere mineral foundation and it went on evenly.

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I then put on the spiced apple blushing bronzer, which ended up being a bit brighter/lighter than I had anticipated. But once I blended it in with my Sigma brush it was pretty cool. I usually don't wear blush so having that bit of color on my cheeks was a nice change.

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Lastly, I added the hypnotic eye shadow. I was hoping for a shadow that was more pigmented as I am always looking for a color that is going to stand out against my skin tone.

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Overall, I am very happy with Lumiere cosmetics. I'm glad to finally have some mineral makeup that I like. It was difficult at the very beginning because I'm not used to mineral makeup so it was a bit messy, but all in all, I think this might cause me to switch from my liquid tinted moisturizer. It doesn't feel heavy at all!

4 out of 5 hearts!

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Have you tried Lumiere products before?

Inspiring Style: InStyle and Fall Faves

2011-09-27T08:59:00.004-07:00

To me, fall is all about layering. I was born on an island, grew up on a peninsula and now I live in the desert so I don't get many opportunities to layer, so I'm definitely hoping for some cool weather this autumn.

As you read in my fall wish list, I want boots, sweaters and coats. But I also want more: a girl's gotta have ~~a numerous amount of~~ options! And for me, those options include chunky knits, high-low dresses and red pants.

Stella McCartney, Paul Frank, Asos

Asos, DKNY, DKNY

Free People, Dillard's, Alexander Wang

Any of these pieces inspiring style for you?

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Also, I recently found out that I was featured in the October 2011 issue of InStyle Magazine. You can see me in the "How Have We Amped Up Your Style?" section on page 72.

How cool is that?

♥

DiViene Jewelry Giveaway

2011-09-25T09:32:00.005-07:00

Have you ever heard of diViene?

Well diViene specializes in creating birthstone and gemstone jewelry that is originally crafted with a personalized touch. The customized pieces come in rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and even pendants.

All birthstone jewelry options are available and easily listed on the side of the website so that you can find your stone simply by knowing your birth month.

You can also shop diViene gemstone jewelry by price so you're sure to find something that will fit into your range for both style and cost. Some of my favorites are the multicolored bracelet, the exotic rose blossom ring and the white pearl heart cutout necklace.

Now, you lovely muses can enter to win a $75 gift code to the site to spend on any item. Here's how to enter to win!

Mandatory

♥ Must be a public follower of Oh to Be a Muse through Google Friend Connect

♥ Become a fan of diViene on Facebook

♥ Follow diViene on Twitter

Leave your email in the comment stating what you've done to enter.

Giveaway ends Oct. 2

Featured Fashionista: Gaby

2011-09-23T09:35:00.001-07:00

Featured Fashionista

Gaby from New York

Gaby is a New York native with an effortless style and a love for comfy clothes and unique sunnies. Her collection of looks can appeal to any woman, and her gorgeous locks--whether twisted into a bun or flowing down her shoulders--are her best accessory.

Blog: Fashionable Collections

What do you think of Gaby's look?

Want to be a part of Featured Fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!

Check out a list of all my beautiful Featured Fashionistas for anyone you might have missed.

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The winner of the End of Summer Makeup giveaway is Leeann of Join the Gossip!

♥

Movie Review: Ryan Gosling in Drive

2011-09-21T08:58:00.002-07:00

Drive is both a typical and an atypical heist movie.

It's typical in the sense that it features car chases, gun battles and double crosses. But it's atypical because it's so much more than that.

Ryan Gosling (who was seen on the Muse for the Blue Valentine movie review) stars as Driver--that's right--he has no name in this movie. Calling his character a bit weird would be an understatement. It's clear that he has issues with his past, no real need to have many friends, but obviously seeks pleasure in the rush he receives from driving fast cars.

His knack for being a great driver allows him to play a Hollywood stuntman by day and a getaway wheelman by night. He doesn't care who you are, what you're stealing or why. He just wants you to do it in a 5-minute window.

Gosling's character ends up befriending his neighbor (played by Carey Mulligan) and her son. Most of their relationship is shown through touches and driving sequences--they are definitely not a talkative bunch.

Anyway, we learn that Mulligan's husband is getting out of prison and he has a debt to pay some bad guys. Gosling's character decides to help him so that Mulligan and her son don't get harmed. The heist goes all wrong and Gosling is left to either pick up the pieces or get killed.

I must say that every time I saw Carey Mulligan with Ryan it just reminded me of that other cute little blonde girl with the pixie haircut (Michelle Williams) so I knew their relationship was doomed from the start. A lot of other great actors shine in this slow-moving, semi-indie film including Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman.

Yes, Christina Hendricks is in too, but her boobs don't make an appearance and she's dressed like a street hooker so you might miss her.

What I loved about this movie was its typical & atypical heist style because I'm a girl who loves a great heist film. But at the same time, the indie feel mixed with little-to-no dialogue at certain points made me feel great placing this movie in a heist league of its own. Not to mention that elevator scene!

Plus, there are many, many scenes where Ryan speaks with his eyes and smile alone. He's probably the best at conveying a message with his abs or smile. Am I right? If you don't believe me, check him out as a Man Candy Monday treat!

Besides, there was '80s music! And who doesn't love '80s music!

4 of 5 Hearts!

♥♥♥♥

Lookbook: Bandage Pink & Red Velvet

2011-09-19T09:00:00.002-07:00

I was originally supposed to go apple picking on this day, which would have made a divine background for an outfit post, but those plans got squashed. So, instead, I wore this to watch football and get lunch at Kona Grill. I was probably the most dressed up person sitting at the bar watching college boys beat up on each other.

Please don't mind the crease in the bottom half of my dress. I ordered this from Shopbop before I went on vacation and I had to have it sit at the post office for about a week. So, it was either folding creases or having it get stolen while it sat at my front door for 7 days.

By the way, I've been wearing these shoes like crazy. Pretty sure I've worn them every day in the last week. Yep, pretty damn sure of that.

Nordstrom Last Chance scarf ~ Town & Reese Addie necklace ~ Michael Kors sunnies ~ BB Dakota shirtdress ~ Vero Moda belt ~ F21 leggings ~ thifted & gifted watch and wrap bracelet ~ Steve Madden boots ~ Juicy Couture bag

I just realized that I haven't done a Lookbook post since August so some of you might not remember what I look like. This is probably the biggest photo of my face on this entire blog. But I want everyone to know that this is me. This face--right here--is me.

So when I do a Featured Fashionista post, for instance, please don't comment saying "you look great" because that isn't me. This girl right here with the tiny crater in the side of her cheek is me. :)

Yummy Korean spicy tuna roll, a Pomegranate margarita and a red velvet cupcake!
What do you think of my look?♥

My Fall Wish List at Zalando

2011-09-17T09:28:00.002-07:00

Even though the official start of fall is not until next week, I'm definitely starting to feel it in the air. It's actually under 100 degrees here in Phoenix -- that's amazing! Yes, that's right. Fall for me is now experiencing temperatures in the mid-90s and convincing myself that it's finally cool enough to bundle up in a cardi.

But seriously, it's definitely getting cooler in this ~~hot ass~~ valley so I've taken it upon myself to make a simple fall wishlist featuring some fab items from Zalando. If you haven't heard of or visited this site yet, then please do so now.

Boots: Can I just say that I am WELL AWARE that those Fersengold boots are a bit stripper-ish, but I think I could totally dress those up without looking like a call girl. The Marc boot is obviously a bit more practical.

Loose Outfits: Every now and then you'll see me (if you hung out with me in real life--why don't you hang out with me in real life?) in tightly fitted attire, but for the most part I love a loose fit. Those Mint & Berry trousers would look perfect with some cute ballet flats a la Audrey Hepburn, and who doesn't like a sweater with hearts all over?

Cardigans: Is it cardigan weather already? Of course! The Zalando site has a large array of cardigans to choose from, including the long versions, ones with turtlenecks and even jumpers. I just thought these two were super cute and the multicolored one is fairly unique. It's a spiced up cardi, which you don't see often.

Coats: Coats, coats, coats, coats, coats! Who am I kidding? It's still way too hot in Phoenix to wear a bloody trench coat, but the temps are winding down so soon enough I'll be able to don a form-fitting coat like one of these babies. In an ideal world (where I live in a slightly colder climate with an office/closet the size of a garage) I'd have a whole section of space dedicated to both long and short coats.

All items featured here can be found on Zalando, which is my new shopping site hotness, especially for shoes.

What's on your fall wishlist?

♥

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The winner of my giveaway will be announced next week!

Happy Weekend!

Makeup and Muses: Fashion Show Makeup

2011-09-15T08:53:00.001-07:00

I'm not going to do a whole rundown of the many, many, MANY fashion shows that are going on as part of New York Fashion Week here on the blog because: 1 - that would take way too long, and 2 - I'm sure you muses have seen a ton of pics already.

But I would like to show some of my favorite makeup and hairstyles from a few of the shows.

How can you not love the makeup spotted on the St. John models along with their curly afro hair pieces? The hair reminds me of the natural hair guest post on my blog earlier this month.

And yes, that is Leandra of Man Repeller walking for Rebecca Minkoff!

The big, red hair against the white dress on pale skin in this Douglass Hannant look is just superb. I love it just as much as I love the tan skin with the bright makeup colors on the Nanette Lepore models.

God! I can't really get over the hair on both of these models. Can you? I mean, seriously. Every time I look at these last pics I just sigh. Oh yeah, the clothes are great for sure. But the hair and makeup are killing it.

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What do you think of the makeup and hair on these looks?

Which NYFW designer had the best makeup/hair in your opinion?

♥