| BY RAQUEL RINGGOLD |

Summer Bucketlist: Let's Talk Fashion



Summer fashion is almost at full force and I am so happy to celebrate Summer 2014 with a collaboration post with one of my favorite bloggers Glitter Berry! I am going to be sharing one half of the post which is all about fashion while Byrony's half of the post is all about favorite beauty trends of summer 2014, so make sure to go to her blog to see the other half after your read this one! 

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So when it comes to summer fashion, I am in love with everything colorful and printed. This summer, my goal is to step out of my fashion comfort zone and try some styles that I usually would not wear. I am officially starting my summer by following my bucketlist and expanding my fashion horizons. If you want a style challenge for the season you can make your own lis or go ahead and try some of my ideas below!




  1.   Forever mix matched.



Something I have been trying to have a relationship with is mixing prints. My number one goal is to try doing this without the outfit clashing. This picture is my first try and I decided to match the polka dots of the cross on my shirt with the polka dot shirt. I really wanted to make this outfit exciting and a tad of a different time era, so I paired it with a different color heel as a fun look! I really love how bright this combination is and it screams youth and fun for sure. This is one of my favorites for sure! 



2. When high waisted shorts and crop tops take over.


High waisted shorts have been everywhere this season, and I mean everywhere. I don't think there are many places that haven't picked up the trend. These are my favorite pair at the moment because I love their bright shade of pink. You can pair almost any crop top with it! I just grabbed my first crop top and added pink pumps. I couldn't forget a nice statement necklace with some matching bangles! I love this trend because it is so easy and comfortable. You can wear this for so many different occasions and all of these items are very versatile!




3. Go fringe or go home.



Fringe is something that can look amazing and effortless like a bohemian goddess. Sadly, it can also make you look like you tried way too hard. The key to fringe is to make it that main focus of the outfit. If you go overboard with accessories, it just won't look right. The top that I have on has daisy straps and lining across the top of the shirt that adds a perfect makeshift accessory (FYI- Daisies have been hitting store racks everywhere, keep an eye on this upcoming trend!). I continued bucketlist #2 with the high waisted shorts just to keep this look a little conservative since the fringe is the main focus. Since the top is black, I was able to spice  it up with patterned shorts instead of solid ones!



4. Black is always the new black.

I actually don't think there will ever be a time within the next million years that any magazine will report the "black is the newest trend". Black colored clothing has always been my savior and I am sure many of you can relate. This color will always remain a staple in many closets. My LBD's and black stilettos have always held my back throughout my hardest fashion times. Even though bold colors have been raging down the runways, I still think that having a nice casual black dress is perfect for a nice summer night out. If worn with the perfect accessories, it can still be a hit. As a little girl, my obsession was head bands. Over the past few years, I have forgotten this phase, but I wanted to incorporate a few back into my wardrobe. The one I have on in this look is gold and matched my heels and leopard belt perfectly!




So there we have it! These are my favorite trends and ideas for summer 2014 and I know it will be the most glamorous summer ever. I am so anxious to try these new looks and make a splash. Tell me what look was your favorite or what's on your fashion bucketlist this summer! Have a fabulous weekend!

Make sure you go see the other half of this post by Byrony that will give you the inside gossip on all things beauty this summer. Check it out on Glitter Berry!

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laugh with me LeeLee


One important part of entering summer is finding the perfect scent. I never want anything too heavy during this time of the year, lightweight is key. Attracting bugs outside isn't exactly the goal when choosing a nice fragrance. Luckily, I found my new summer signature from Benefit. This eau de toilette is called laugh with me LeeLee and it has a very refreshing aroma. The scent is a sweet, floral blend that is not overpowering at all. It is the perfect size to take everywhere and it has a long lasting smell when you spritz it on your pulse points. The clean scent is perfect for the summer time. It is a little on the pricey side, but this bottle goes a long way! Also, did I mention that the bottle is so colorful and adorable?






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Closet Decorations

Okay, so my prized possession has to be my closet. Not to sound like a materialist, but fashion has been my love ever since I can remember. My closet is somewhere I can go for inspiration or just to have fun and mess around. I actually don't even consider it a closet anymore, it's almost like a display room. I put all of my clothes that is proper for the season there. For example, currently I put my heavy jackets away in storage, so I can focus on my spring/summer wardrobe items. Other than clothes, it also holds all of my accessories, dresser, and vanity table. The way it is decorated is very bright and glam. That is why I wanted to show you three of my favorite decoration pieces that makes it somewhat different and unique. 





The first thing I have is very simple, flowers. They are so inexpensive and pretty. Having flowers simply transforms an area and adds a brighter touch. The vase is reflective and has a pink tint, which I love! Also on the table for something extra is a Michael Kors keychain and three perfume sample papers from Chanel, Versace, and Bvlgari (I don't know if it's just me, but I love to save perfume samples for some reason!).



Next is my shoe chair! That's right, it is a high heel! Now I won't take all the credit, my mother originally picked this out and had it in her room. She didn't have enough room for it anymore, so I volunteered to take lots of care of it for her. So now this beauty resides in my closet! It has a leopard print going across the back rest and the heel. I loved the print because it matches my leopard curtains, which you can see in the edge of this picture. This chair is super comfy and I love sitting in it and catching up on a new issue of Elle. Otherwise, my puppy enjoys sneaking onto it and taking a nap!


Last but not least is my conversation piece, my GIGANTIC Coach bag! This display bag hangs above my dresser and let me say, it's pretty big. This bag was made for a window display in Bloomingdale's and once the collection feature was over, it made its way into my hands. It was made very sturdy and I am in love with it. The person who made is was so talented and creative. They even have silver metallic tissue paper hanging out of the flaps of the bag!



I hope you enjoyed reading this post and remember:


"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous." - Coco Chanel




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Silver Needle Lookbook

The other night, I attended the Silver Needle Fashion Show. This show displayed designs from college fashion design students. I really had a fabulous time at this event. It's like the fashion gods opened up the gate and let creativity fall out onto the runway. All of the hard work is really shown from all of the volunteers, models, and designers. The venue was very nice and the show was put together very well. The lookbook for the show was just amazing. Here were some of my favorite designers looks!



 This is the front cover of the lookbook and the designer who created this lovely piece is Kelsea Ullrich. Her all-white pieces were so crisp and well cut. As I watched her pieces work down the runway, I couldn't help but compare them to MAC White Frost eyeshadow!



 These pieces were made by the lovely designer, Joanne Falce. Joanne incorporated hand embellishment to some of her blouses, which I though was such a perfect touch. The other part that stood out to me was the way the her print is actually a butterfly pattern which she created herself. The black and white gave it a very modern, yet classic look.



Forrest Simms created this masterpiece that I truly adore. Other than this dress giving a goddess appeal, it has a magnificent beading around the neck that gives an Egyptian theme to the dress. It gave a feeling of elegance and grace...love this one!


Brittany Morganti killed it with this design! Her collection displayed some of my favorite pieces from the whole show. All of her designs are 100% hand embellished and I was pretty much mesmerized in awe as each one went past. Her designs reminded me of something Queen Betsey Johnson would create, but it was still very different at the same time. I just loved all of the sequins and bold colors. I will definitely be keeping up with Brittany's upcoming designs!


So there were my favorites from the fashion show. Which designer is closest to your style? 

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April 2014 Favorites




1) Goody QuikStyle Paddle Brush- This is the newest item in my hair department and I picked it up in the store just because it looked so interesting. This paddle brush contains microfiber bristles along with normal bristles to help absorb water from your hair right after washing. It is also good for detangling and it is pretty large so you can control large sections of hair at a time.

2) Organix Anti-Breakage Keratin Oil- This instant repair weightless healing oil has been a lifesaver for me. My hair can get pretty dry, so I try to avoid damaging it at all costs. This spray is very light and and keeps your hair from breaking off since it contains keratin. The argan oil keeps my hair very soft and smooth all day long. Did I also mention it leaves you with a beautiful shine? I have been noticing a great improvement in my hair since using this product. This spray also has the best scent. Organix really needs to start creating perfumes...hehe!

3) Wet n Wild Megaslicks Balm Stain- I wanted to find a simple pink lip stain or balm so I decided to give this one a shot. The shade I got is 128-Pinky Promise and it is very moisturizing. It lasts for hours and it is even a tad shimmery. Great for day or night!

4) Sally Hansen Salon Effects- It is very rare to find me without some sort of nail polish on. I have used these nail polish strips in the past when they were brand new, but they didn't leave a lasting impression on me then. I recently came across a huge sale on them, so I had to buy a few of the newer patterns. I decided to use the florals first and I really liked the turnout this time. They stayed neat for about a week and didn't damage my nails like other brands I have used.

5) One by One Volum' Express- Maybelline has really been doing well with their mascaras and this one has to be my #1 favorite. I can be very picky with mascara because I hate it when it's clumpy or looks very unnatural (unless I am going for a dramatic look). I have naturally long eyelashes, but I still like to have extra definition to my length. Voluminous eyelashes are something I usually prefer for night or special occasions. When I tried this product, other than having nice volume, it really added length, definition, and it separated out my lashes very well.

6) Evian Facial Spray- Humidity and hot weather can be pretty intimidating, but this spray changes things. One of the feelings that I hate the most is when your face begins to sweat and you feel sticky, especially with makeup on. As soon as you spritz this stuff on your face, you instantly feel refreshed and cooled off. This is a must-have for hot weather!

7) Ray Ban Sunglasses- I love a good pair of sunnies and these were my favorite for the month of April. Out of all of the sunglasses I have, I constantly went right to these for a ton of my outfits. Their sunglasses are great quality and very durable!

8) Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek- Alright, just to let you know, I am a total bookworm. I love to pick up a good book in library or at B&N! In the non-fiction this one quickly caught my attention. I read thirty pages right on the spot and I was hooked, so to the register I was. To give you a short description, this book is by a teenage girl named Maya Van Wagenen who did a popularity experiment in eighth grade. She always felt very low on the "social scale" in her school and had no confidence. One day she was given Betty Cornell's Teenage Popularity Guide written by Betty Cornell, a teenage model, in the 1950s. Maya decided to take the guide and do a year long experiment following the 1950s guide. This was actually a fantastic non-fiction book and if you are looking for a new read, check it out! I won't tell you anymore about it because I don't want to spoil it for anyone! You can probably see lots of videos circulating different news stations as the author has been doing many interviews. Great read! 


April flew by in a breeze, but I found some great favorites-beauty related and just random! What was your favorite?! 
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