WV Living in Style Blog

05/18/12

Nail It! Summer 2012 Trends

Before we all know it, Memorial Day will be here and summer will unofficially start. Personally, I can speak for many people when I say I'm looking forward to warm summer days. To help you get ready for the upcoming summer, here are some tips on trending nail polishes: This set features the hottest colors for summer: hot pink, a saturated orange, and a shimmery pink with copper glitter. This is the Zoya Blogger Collection, available through Birchbox (you don't have to be a member to purchase). A bit of a advice: these are jelly polishes, and thus won't opaque completely. The finish is similar to having a jelly bean on your finger tips. This set from Kate Spade features colors inspired from Florence Broadhurst, a noted designer from Australia. While this...

Posted at 10:48 AM Comments

05/14/12

Trending: The High-Low Skirt

The high-low skirt—some call it the mullet skirt, with a little party in the front and business in the back. It was love at first sight for me…I found a mustard yellow one at Forever21 and made my purchase back in December. The other day I was searching through my wardrobe and guess what I found: my mustard yellow mullet skirt, with the price tags still on it! I’m sure you're thinking how could I let something so adorable just sit in my closet? I don’t know about any of you but for some reason I have had the hardest time pairing it with the right shoes and shirt. So I've done a little Pinteresting and blog searching and have found several different ways to wear the high-low skirt. Above are three of my favorite style bloggers. These...

Posted at 10:04 AM Comments: 1

05/04/12

Nautical Necessities

I have always lived within walking distance of a river. Growing up, I spent much time near the Ohio River, in college I was a few blocks within the Kanawha, and now I'm back next to the Ohio. I love living near the river, it brings a certain element of peace to my soul. As one might imagine, being so close to a river allowed me to spend a fair amount of time boating, which is one of my absolutely favorite things to do when weather allows. Now that spring is here with summer close on its heels, it's time to get back on the boat and get cruising. Here are some nautical-inspired ideas that are great both on and off shore. Clockwise from right: Barbour Summer Wax International Jacket, J.Crew Sailboat Critter Shorts, Lilly Pulitzer Camie Dress, Cape Madras Nautical...

Posted at 08:52 AM Comments

04/27/12

Bringing Nature Home

I thought I’d extend the celebration of Earth Day a little by sharing a couple all-natural, homemade body scrub recipes. They are super easy and actually a lot of fun to make. Invite some of your girlfriends over and make them together or put some in a cute jar and give it as a gift. With summer just around the corner, I wanted to make something that would rejuvenate and refresh my winter skin. So I thought this lemon body scrub would be perfect! It was very easy to make (my kind of recipe), and I found all of the ingredients in my cupboards. All you need is ½ cup sea salt, ½ cup sweet almond oil (I used olive oil), ½ teaspoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon orange zest, and to make it even more lemony, I added the lemon juice of 1 lemon. This made my...

Posted at 10:24 PM Comments

04/20/12

Birchbox Delivery! Beauty Samples at Your Door

Most anyone who uses makeup has a makeup junk drawer. For some, it may be the bottom drawer in your vanity or a box sitting on a closet shelf, but they are all the same. Shades of lipstick that didn't look good, the skin cleanser that breaks you out, it's all housed in there until you give it away to a friend or trash it. Even though many stores now allow you to return used cosmetic products for any reason, most of us still hold on to the junk. What makes my heart break is when I calculate the amount of money that sits in my junk makeup box. While it's fairly easy to get samples of perfume, it's much harder to find samples of new and innovative products that aren't sold locally. Or maybe you're looking to get out of a beauty rut, when you've tried...

Posted at 12:20 PM Comments: 3

04/13/12

Suit Your Style

Too early for swimming? Maybe a little, but it’s not too early to start shopping for that bikini. I don’t know about any of you, but even though I absolutely love shopping I dread shopping for swimwear. I always wait until two days before leaving for the beach and always get stuck with a plain ol' boring bathing suit. So I started my shopping early this year and have already found some super cute one pieces and bikinis. So I thought I'd share some of the suits I've found for all body types! I was amazed at all the adorable one piece bathing suits I’ve seen so far. I love the pale purple tulle-wrapped tank. The ruched mid-section adds great shape and coverage, flattering any proportion. If you want to show a bit more skin, but don't want...

Posted at 09:14 AM Comments

04/06/12

Splurge or Save on Makeup Products

As a makeup addict, you wouldn't be too surprised to find me wandering around Sephora or Walgreens at any time of the day. As a woman with a sizable makeup collection, I'm always looking for something new, something fun, and frankly there hasn't been a lot of makeup innovations lately. However, due to my “scientific” testing, I have come to discover which products are the best to save on and where you should really put your money. Nail polish has an astonishing price range, with a full bottle on Target's shelf starting around $3 all the way to Nordstrom, where a designer polish can average almost $30 a bottle. To make this easy all polish under $10 is a “save.” The polish most used in salons and spas across the world is...

Posted at 09:42 AM Comments: 2

03/28/12

Crochet is Making a Comeback

I am 29 years old, and here is a summary of my relationship with and thoughts about crochet: great fort-making material at Ma Ruth & Pa's house as a child; wondering why there are so many holes in this blanket, allowing small drafts to chill my toes while I lounge in this basement, when my full teenage attention could be devoted to this "Sweet November Rain" video; I am in my mid-twenties now, and will embrace the art of crochet because it requires far less cursing than the art of knitting; and I really, really like yarn, so I must learn one of these skills. I discover Lucy. She's magical. My lovely, beautiful, skilled friend Andrea teaches me some basics while our babies stare at one another for entertainment, and I'm off. Fast forward a bit....

Posted at 08:29 AM Comments: 3

03/16/12

Rain, Rain, You Can Stay

The official start of spring is just days away, which means it’s time to swap out sweaters and layers for ensembles that gear more towards the upcoming season. With warmer temperatures and longer days of sunshine comes something most of us are never quite wardrobe-ready for—the rain. We all know the saying "April showers bring May flowers," but now that the heat is showing up early, so will the precipitation. Say goodbye to those bulky, unflattering, rain-resistant coats and hello to these new-and-improved fashion pieces! From nylon and polyester rain jackets to the classic trench, these picks will keep you comfortable and dry this season. Now that your clothes are safe from the rain, it’s time to focus...

Posted at 04:27 PM Comments

03/09/12

Sashay to the Ballet

The Charleston Ballet will present its ballet Play Ball! on March 23 and 24 at the Charleston Civic Center Theatre. I really enjoy watching ballet, and the storyline for Play Ball! incorporates another activity I enjoy: baseball. The storyline of the ballet stars a team from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League circa 1943, and is an imagined meeting with a men's team. Other than watching dancers perform moves and steps that would put a non-dancer (aka, me) into the hospital, I love going to the ballet because it gives me a rare opportunity to dress up. The ballet isn't prom or black-tie fancy, but it does require something extra than say a church dress. It's an excellent time to try new trends or wear something a bit more daring than you would normally....

Posted at 09:05 AM Comments

	05/18/12 Nail It! Summer 2012 Trends Before we all know it, Memorial Day will be here and summer will unofficially start. Personally, I can speak for many people when I say I'm looking forward to warm summer days. To help you get ready for the upcoming summer, here are some tips on trending nail polishes: This set features the hottest colors for summer: hot pink, a saturated orange, and a shimmery pink with copper glitter. This is the Zoya Blogger Collection, available through Birchbox (you don't have to be a member to purchase). A bit of a advice: these are jelly polishes, and thus won't opaque completely. The finish is similar to having a jelly bean on your finger tips. This set from Kate Spade features colors inspired from Florence Broadhurst, a noted designer from Australia. While this... Posted at 10:48 AM Comments
	05/14/12 Trending: The High-Low Skirt The high-low skirt—some call it the mullet skirt, with a little party in the front and business in the back. It was love at first sight for me…I found a mustard yellow one at Forever21 and made my purchase back in December. The other day I was searching through my wardrobe and guess what I found: my mustard yellow mullet skirt, with the price tags still on it! I’m sure you're thinking how could I let something so adorable just sit in my closet? I don’t know about any of you but for some reason I have had the hardest time pairing it with the right shoes and shirt. So I've done a little Pinteresting and blog searching and have found several different ways to wear the high-low skirt. Above are three of my favorite style bloggers. These... Posted at 10:04 AM Comments: 1
	05/04/12 Nautical Necessities I have always lived within walking distance of a river. Growing up, I spent much time near the Ohio River, in college I was a few blocks within the Kanawha, and now I'm back next to the Ohio. I love living near the river, it brings a certain element of peace to my soul. As one might imagine, being so close to a river allowed me to spend a fair amount of time boating, which is one of my absolutely favorite things to do when weather allows. Now that spring is here with summer close on its heels, it's time to get back on the boat and get cruising. Here are some nautical-inspired ideas that are great both on and off shore. Clockwise from right: Barbour Summer Wax International Jacket, J.Crew Sailboat Critter Shorts, Lilly Pulitzer Camie Dress, Cape Madras Nautical... Posted at 08:52 AM Comments
	04/27/12 Bringing Nature Home I thought I’d extend the celebration of Earth Day a little by sharing a couple all-natural, homemade body scrub recipes. They are super easy and actually a lot of fun to make. Invite some of your girlfriends over and make them together or put some in a cute jar and give it as a gift. With summer just around the corner, I wanted to make something that would rejuvenate and refresh my winter skin. So I thought this lemon body scrub would be perfect! It was very easy to make (my kind of recipe), and I found all of the ingredients in my cupboards. All you need is ½ cup sea salt, ½ cup sweet almond oil (I used olive oil), ½ teaspoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon orange zest, and to make it even more lemony, I added the lemon juice of 1 lemon. This made my... Posted at 10:24 PM Comments
	04/20/12 Birchbox Delivery! Beauty Samples at Your Door Most anyone who uses makeup has a makeup junk drawer. For some, it may be the bottom drawer in your vanity or a box sitting on a closet shelf, but they are all the same. Shades of lipstick that didn't look good, the skin cleanser that breaks you out, it's all housed in there until you give it away to a friend or trash it. Even though many stores now allow you to return used cosmetic products for any reason, most of us still hold on to the junk. What makes my heart break is when I calculate the amount of money that sits in my junk makeup box. While it's fairly easy to get samples of perfume, it's much harder to find samples of new and innovative products that aren't sold locally. Or maybe you're looking to get out of a beauty rut, when you've tried... Posted at 12:20 PM Comments: 3
	04/13/12 Suit Your Style Too early for swimming? Maybe a little, but it’s not too early to start shopping for that bikini. I don’t know about any of you, but even though I absolutely love shopping I dread shopping for swimwear. I always wait until two days before leaving for the beach and always get stuck with a plain ol' boring bathing suit. So I started my shopping early this year and have already found some super cute one pieces and bikinis. So I thought I'd share some of the suits I've found for all body types! I was amazed at all the adorable one piece bathing suits I’ve seen so far. I love the pale purple tulle-wrapped tank. The ruched mid-section adds great shape and coverage, flattering any proportion. If you want to show a bit more skin, but don't want... Posted at 09:14 AM Comments
	04/06/12 Splurge or Save on Makeup Products As a makeup addict, you wouldn't be too surprised to find me wandering around Sephora or Walgreens at any time of the day. As a woman with a sizable makeup collection, I'm always looking for something new, something fun, and frankly there hasn't been a lot of makeup innovations lately. However, due to my “scientific” testing, I have come to discover which products are the best to save on and where you should really put your money. Nail polish has an astonishing price range, with a full bottle on Target's shelf starting around $3 all the way to Nordstrom, where a designer polish can average almost $30 a bottle. To make this easy all polish under $10 is a “save.” The polish most used in salons and spas across the world is... Posted at 09:42 AM Comments: 2
	03/28/12 Crochet is Making a Comeback I am 29 years old, and here is a summary of my relationship with and thoughts about crochet: great fort-making material at Ma Ruth & Pa's house as a child; wondering why there are so many holes in this blanket, allowing small drafts to chill my toes while I lounge in this basement, when my full teenage attention could be devoted to this "Sweet November Rain" video; I am in my mid-twenties now, and will embrace the art of crochet because it requires far less cursing than the art of knitting; and I really, really like yarn, so I must learn one of these skills. I discover Lucy. She's magical. My lovely, beautiful, skilled friend Andrea teaches me some basics while our babies stare at one another for entertainment, and I'm off. Fast forward a bit.... Posted at 08:29 AM Comments: 3
	03/16/12 Rain, Rain, You Can Stay The official start of spring is just days away, which means it’s time to swap out sweaters and layers for ensembles that gear more towards the upcoming season. With warmer temperatures and longer days of sunshine comes something most of us are never quite wardrobe-ready for—the rain. We all know the saying "April showers bring May flowers," but now that the heat is showing up early, so will the precipitation. Say goodbye to those bulky, unflattering, rain-resistant coats and hello to these new-and-improved fashion pieces! From nylon and polyester rain jackets to the classic trench, these picks will keep you comfortable and dry this season. Now that your clothes are safe from the rain, it’s time to focus... Posted at 04:27 PM Comments
	03/09/12 Sashay to the Ballet The Charleston Ballet will present its ballet Play Ball! on March 23 and 24 at the Charleston Civic Center Theatre. I really enjoy watching ballet, and the storyline for Play Ball! incorporates another activity I enjoy: baseball. The storyline of the ballet stars a team from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League circa 1943, and is an imagined meeting with a men's team. Other than watching dancers perform moves and steps that would put a non-dancer (aka, me) into the hospital, I love going to the ballet because it gives me a rare opportunity to dress up. The ballet isn't prom or black-tie fancy, but it does require something extra than say a church dress. It's an excellent time to try new trends or wear something a bit more daring than you would normally.... Posted at 09:05 AM Comments