Newcomers to the (Ef)Face: Check These Out!

So in LOVE


Can I just...take ALL of Valentino home?  Forever and ever?
Watch the whole thing...every bit is wonderful!

UPDATE:
discovered the Ralph Lauren show:

soooo beautiful...so touchable...so classy.


LAST UPDATE, I SWEAR!
Did I mention Oscar de la Renta????  Well, I did, now!


Soooo cute and housewifey!  Such fabulous suiting!

Dancing with Vampires




dancey dance time!
Discovered a really cool anime called Dance in the Vampire Bund.  I would like it even if vampires weren't so in vogue right now...not that I'm a hipster or anything, but I just can't believe what a crazy love affair the Western world is having with vamps right now!  (And just don't mention the zombie fad: I have a phobia...sad but true.)

Anyway, I realized as I was walking out the door that I'm pretty sure the anime effected the way I dressed today!  I look quite foppish.

love how the blouse drapes...so grateful to it for cooperating!





Sorry for an overtly self-shoot...I usually try to hide the cell phone, but it just didn't seem to work today.

Here are some images from Dance in the Vampire Bund so y'all can see some of the stylish looks (especially those of the adolescent Princess Mina):



Oh yeah...can't forget the bishounen (hott guy), Akira:

soooo attractive
Anyway, it's all semi-Victorian with a modern twist.  Fun stuff.  It's been nice to be inspired by anime again: I just got me a Netflix subscription!  :)  I'm all sorts of high-tech now, eh?

PS--Made a nice haul at the thrift store today!  I'm looking forward to sharing the pieces I found with y'all soon!

Blazer: thrifted
Cardigan: Charlotte Russe
Blouse: gift from Mom
Shorts: T.J. Maxx
Tights: Kohl's
Booties: Charlotte Russe
Clutch: Payless

Monochrome Ain't Dull










Necklace: thrifted
Jacket: thrifted
Dress: Express
Heels: Target
Purse: thrifted Nine West
Sunglasses: ?

The first day...


Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  Here's a catch-up: I wore this outfit last Friday.  It got a bit chilly towards the end of the evening, but it was a great evening anyway: I spent it with my mom and hubby, because we were celebrating my mom's birthday!

Hat: ForLove21
Tunic: Target
Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters
Socks: ?
Boots: Charlotte Russe
Purse: Coach
Scarves: thrifted
Bracelets: thrifted
Cameo Medallion: ?
Jacket: thrifted

'50s Makeup Tutorial


It's been awhile since I've done a makeup tutorial.

This is relatively simple, and I'm no makeup expert, but I'm just gonna throw my process out there.

1.) First: heavy foundation!  (Yes, really.  Psh, your skin doesn't need to breathe.)  I use a matte powder.  If possible, go a shade lighter than your skin tone (I've got a little color from the sun on my cheeks in the photo, but usually I'd be white as a ghost!).

2.) Add a matte brown/tan (nuetral) eyeshadow to your lid, taking it all the way up to the brow bone. 
Blend a darker shadow into the crease--add a LOT of drama if you're going for '50s glam.
Put a white shadow at the apex of the arch of the brow.

3.) For the winged eye, take a gel eyeliner and liner brush (or your favorite kind of black liner), and line your upper lids heavily, getting wider at the outer corner and thinner just past the center of the lid. 
If you're more talented than I am, make that gorgeous lil wing! 
If you're more of a wing novice--like moi--stick a peice of tape on your face (lol) following the line of the upwards curve of your bottom lid.  Use the tape as a guide to create that sharp line for your wing. (The bottom of the wing shape is flat, not curved.  Blend the thick upper part of the liner on your lid into that straight line of the bottom part.)

4.) Coats upon coats of mascara!!! 
(Also, if your bottom lid feels too naked, you can lightly line the outer corner.  I don't, because it makes me feel more like Audrey Hepburn to leave it.)  :)

5.) Add a very light dusting of pink blush to the cheekbones, but not the apples, for contouring.

6.) LIPS.  I looooove me some red, pouty lips.  Line the shape of your lips with red liner.  Exaggerate the "bow" of the lip (the dip in the middle of the upper lip): you can even add a little highlighter/white eyeshadow to the skin just above the bow to REALLY make it pop.  Then fill in the outline with liner as well.
Put on a nice coat of your favorite red lipstick.  (Some people do it with a brush, but I can't say no to the sensuality of gliding the lipstick on straight from the tube!)
Put a layer of gloss (red tinted if you have it) over the top to finish off your gorgeous pout.

7.) Play around with adding some beauty marks (with eyeliner).  Women in that era often drew them on either by the eye or mouth (a la Marilyn Monroe).  Personally, I kinda like the look of the one by my eye. 
If you have natural beauty marks, feel free accentuate them with liner as well!  Don't be shy: they'll look super-cute!


Sooooo...there you have it.  :)  Hope it's useful to someone out there on the Internets.

Also: can I get some feedback on my hair?  I used an editing program to tint it red, 'cuz I'm thinking about maybe-possibly dying it...(I've never dyed my hair before, but I've always wanted to go redhead.)

Surprize! A PRINT!

mmm...arm candy...
I own hardly anything with a print on the fabric...just kinda realized that. 
I'm obsessed with attempting to fill my closet with "stylish basics"...I still need to learn that there are other ways to be "basic" other than simply buying everything in boring, flat neutral colors (though I firmly believe minimalism will never NOT be chic).

So: here is my printed...blouse? ...tunic? ...top.


Love these dainty shoes...a friend found them at a thrift store for me.
Another firm belief of mine: AMERICANS WEAR TOO MUCH DENIM.  Jeans are wonderful and all, but GEEZE people, branch out a little! get creative!  Be bold!  I was uber-pleased when a guy I know said to me yesterday, "Caitlin, do you own any not-colored pants?"  These pink Anne Klein cropped trousers are one of my all-time favorite thrifty finds. 

I'll share one more firm belief while I'm at it.  Wellll, maybe two...you just can't shut me up, today!


1.) There will never be a hat design to match that of the FEDORA.

2.) A person (specifically, a woman) wearing a hat is the most noticed person in a room.  Wanna make an outfit interesting?  Add a hat.  I don't care if you're wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers: just add a hat!

The Rundown:
Blazer: MaxRave
Top: ?
Belt: H&M
Sunnies: thrifted
Fedora: ?
Tee: ?
Trousers: thrifted
Bracelets: thrifted/gifted
Shoes: thrifted

SOUL TRAIN


My hubby took some candids while I was jammin' to the Soul Train on TV at my folks' house...figured I'd use them as outfit photos!  :)  Just to further prove my insanity...but I make my Daddy and hubby laugh, which is kind of my life's goal.  :)

This is about when I figured out he was snapping photos...

...but did it stop me?  I think not.

I love my new mint pants...I'm so excited that pastels are the Thing for Spring!  My nails match, too!


Coat: JouJou
Tunic: Target
Pants: H&M
Sandals: Maurice's
Cuff: thrifted
Bag: thrifted Louis Vuitton

Memories of Mexico

FINALLY had someone who took me seriously enough to take good photos of me!!! Thanks, Piera!  They look pretty.  :)








It was really bright outside (yay!), so I'm all squinty...but oh well!  SO worth it!!!

Fun Fact: I bought this skirt years ago for a mission trip down to Mexico.  We [physically] built a church in a teeny town.  Played with lots of new friends, including tarantulas, cockroaches, and wild pigs haha... It was over 100 degrees every day, and we weren't allowed to wear anything that showed our legs above the ankles.  I first bought this skirt to wear to worship services there.  I thought it was soooo ugly (since it totaly wasn't mainstream style then).  Now I adore it!  It's amazingly lightweight, and I think the print is beautiful!


It's been in the 50s and 60s!  The actual First Day of Spring is coming up on the 20th...anyone else counting down???

Denim top: H&M
Tee: Kohl's
Earrings: Target
Bangles: thrifted
Belt: Target
Skirt: thrifted
Shoes: thrifted
Bag: thrifted (Nine West)

Arctic Fox

I'm actually leaning on my friend Emilee's car...mine's the blue one behind lol



Finally acheived my monochromatic outfit!  And I felt so Old Hollywood Glam...

Faux Fur Cape: David's Bridal
Button-up: American Eagle Outfitters
Necklace: thrifted
Bangles: thrifted
Jeggings: HUE from T.J. Maxx
Bag: thrifted (Nine West)
Shoes: thrifted

Sick New Kicks


Song of the Day: "The Hill" from the film (and soon-to-be musical) Once.
Line of the Day from the Song of the Day: "I'm sorry that you had to see the strength inside me burning."



Not quite sure WHAT these are besides AWESOME.  I just kinda threw them on with some jeans and then raided my hubby's closet.  So, basically, I'm a guy today.

PLAYTIME!!!

white fedora || white belt

crazy color mixing
Fedora: ?
Blazer: MaxRave
Flannel: Target
T-shirt: American Eagle Outfitters
Jeans: Charlotte Russe
Socks: gift (They're the teal sliver poking out from the high-tops.)
Kicks: thrifted