emily jane loves: blogging again

hey, i'm back. i'm sorry i took such a long hiatus, but i promise i won't do it again (hopefully). lately, i've been in love with mixing different styles and fabrics in one outfit. my favorite is to combine camouflage (or at least the camo green) with something ultra feminine.

you can also add camo to other styles like these ladies did:

emily jane loves: rita ora

it looks like i have a new style crush and her name is rita ora. she's the british equivalent of rihanna and dates rob kardashian, but most importantly, she's got phenomenal style. not only has she inspired me to wear beanies( i have yet to see how well this will work in the arizona summer), but she has also inspired me to find my inner chola and let it free.

who is your current style crush?

emily jane loves: flawless skin

like most women, i've always struggled with my complexion. it never seems to compare with the flawless complexion that society tells us we're supposed to have "naturally". first of all, i would like to call bullshit on that myth because i have never come across one woman that is completely satisfied with her complexion. so, after 26 years of trying every foundation, product and dermatologist known to man, here are my tips to fake or create flawless skin:

1. foundation

it took me 10 years before i found a foundation that met all of my needs. some of my criteria includes: must be long-lasting, must not clog my pores, must not irritate my skin, must match my pale skin. you would think that wouldn't be hard to find, right? wrong. but alas, i have found it:

estee lauder's double wear foundation matches my skin perfectly, doesn't clog my pores or irritate my skin, and it lasts the entire day. it's not the cheapest foundation out there (it's around $30), but i promise you it's worth the money.

2. moisturizer 

it doesn't matter what your skin is like, your skin needs moisturizer. you may think that because you have an oily complexion that you don't need to moisturize, but trust me, you do. your skin can actually break out if it doesn't have enough moisture.

cerave makes my favorite moisturizer. it's the only moisturizer that doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy, and continues to moisturize your skin all day. it's also a great pick if you have sensitive skin like myself.

3. vitamins

i've never been vitamin crazy, but when it comes to my skin, i do find that they help. some people have success with taking biotin or prenatal vitamins, but i prefer taking vitamin a. i don't take vitamin a daily, but i do take it when i find myself breaking out. accutane, the common/controversial drug used to treat acne, is basically a very high dosage of vitamin a. when i buy vitamin a, i make sure to buy it in the smallest dosage available because it can be dangerous when taken in high dosages.

4. birth control

personally, i think this is the most important factor in skin care. before i changed birth control, i never really considered my birth control playing any role in my skin. yes, my doctor had told me the pill could help with acne, but since i didn't have severe acne, i didn't give it much thought. it wasn't until i switched to the nuva ring that my skin did a complete 180. i am by no means saying that the nuva ring is a cure-all, but i did see a dramatic difference in my skin after getting off of the pill. the problem with the pill is that i believe it drys out the skin to the point where it actually causes acne. i have yet to find a person who thinks that the pill has helped their skin, although doctors continue to make that claim.

at the end of the day, i highly suggest seeing a dermatologist if you have any concerns about your skin. there seems to be a misconception that you should only go to a dermatologist if your skin is falling off or if you might be at risk for skin cancer. this is so far from the truth, it actually makes me laugh. a dermatologist can prescribe you better, higher quality products that target your specific problem.

another fun fact about dermatoligists: they can cure a pimple. yes, you heard right. let's say you have a pimple that simply won't go away or you have an important day coming up where you need to be pimple-free. pick up the phone, call your dermatologist and ask for a cortisone shot. you will go in, the doctor will take a needle (okay, a needle coming towards your face isn't fun, but your pimple is already the size of the sun, so you can't even feel it) and insert cortisone directly into the pimple. within hours your pimple will be half of it's size, and by the end of the day it will be completely gone.

emily jane loves: embellishment

it's the little things in life that really matter, right? that same phrase can be applied to your clothing as well. sometimes you don't have to wear clothing that's busy to stand out; you just need a little embellishment.

on top of the fact that i've already been looking for a denim vest to wear in the summer, this vest really stud out because of the embellishment. the studs in just a few places make this piece stand out.

there are a lot of designers out right now that are following this trend by embellishing collars. it's a great look for any fashionista, especially those that are intimidating by bold prints or bright colors.

emily jane loves: summer attire

sometimes, when it's 111 degrees out, you just have to say fuck it, and put on some moccasins, a melissa etheridge vintage shirt and some high-waisted shorts.

the moccasins and melissa etheridge shirt are thrifted and the high-waisted shorts are from urban outfitters.

sometimes, you just have to rock out and not wear a dress, even if it's summer (and trust me, i like any excuse to wear a dress).

vintage concert t-shirts and moccasins are very easy to find at any thrift store. tip: usually the men's section in the thrift store has the best vintage t-shirts.

what's your favorite summer attire?

emily jane loves: the ethereal look for the non-ethereal

have you ever seen a picture is so perfect that you just have to copy everything about it? well, that's how i felt when i saw this picture:

and then i remembered that i'm not blonde, tan, nor do i live by a beach (thanks, arizona). i can, however, recreate the look of being beachy and ethereal with a flower headband and flowy dress. so, here is the emily jane version of this outfit:

 

this a great summer outfit that can be worn on the beach, or in my case, in the desert. headbands are always in during the summer, so you should have no problems finding one. pick you favorite summer dress, add a headband and get in touch with your ethereal self!

emily jane loves: faux goth

i never thought the day would come where i'd want to look goth, or even slightly goth, but much to my surprise, that day has come. it just so happens that this faux goth look involves two items that i'm completely obsessed with right now.

1. crosses

wearing cross jewelry just makes you feel like a bad ass, all the time.

2. dark lips

 

 

dark lips against pale skin give you a visual striking look (just make sure you keep the eye make-up subtle if you wear a dark lip). my favorite dark lipstick is black cherry by revlon.

add one and two together and you get a faux goth look that is completely nonthreatening and totally high-fashion!



emily jane loves: bronzer for the not-so bronze

summa-summa-summatime. time to sit back and unwind, right?

sorry, will smith, but it's not that easy for us girls in the summertime. we have to worry about our bikini bods and how we're going to cover up those love handles we acquired over the winter. and, on top of worrying about your lumps and bumps, we also have to think about our tan, or in my case, lack thereof.

under normal conditions, my pale skin doesn't bother me. in fact, people compliment me on it fairly often and tell me that i look like an "english rose". but, in the summer, i usually don't get too many compliments when i step out in a swimsuit and it looks like i've been locked in a basement for the last 26 years.

this, unfortunately, is my reality:

instead of sitting around and crying about how i will forever burn peoples' eyes with my transparent skin,  i decided to do something about it. i went out on a limb and picked up this self-tanning lotion from ulta (with, as always, great skepticism):

the woman informed me that this was the best self-tanning lotion on the market right now, especially for us pale folks. she said it had a natural coverage, a refreshing scent and the lotion had a tint to it so you could see the spots you missed right away.

with such raving reviews, i thought that after one application, i'd look like this:

sadly, that wasn't the case. however, i will tell you, that it is the best self-tanning lotion i've ever used. i applied it on my legs, and after three days i could definitely tell a difference. it really does make you look like you got a tan, and not just rolled around in some cheeto powder.

my only complaint would be that the scent is not something i'd describe as refreshing. it still smells like self-tanning lotion, just with a light hint of citrus. other than that, i'd definitely recommend giving this product a try.

get a glow without getting skin cancer!

emily jane loves: white & turquoise

my favorite thing about summer is getting to mix casual dresses with interesting pieces of jewelry. as of lately, i've been obsessed with white lace and turquoise. here is how i like to wear it:

this dress is extremely special because it has fringe which gives it a very flapperish feel.

i never like to over accessorize, so a solid colored dress gives me the freedom to wear more jewelry than i normally would.

one tip for summer: buy a statement necklace. you can generally buy one for fairly cheap at forever 21, and it's guaranteed to liven up any summer dress.

emily jane loves: ankle boots

dear ankle boots, why are you so fabulous?

seriously, i think ankle boots are the must-have shoe of the season. i don't care that i live in arizona and it's 105 degrees out- i must have them. kate bosworth is already so effortlessly cool, but these ankle boots take her to another level. girl, you got it going on, for realz.

here are some other celebs wearing the look:

ankle boots can be worn with any outfit, in my opinion. they can be worn with casual wear, like kate bosworth and taylor momsen did, or with more of a chic outfit , like rosie huntington and kim kardashian sported.

my favorite way to wear them would have to be like this:

dress? check. hat? check. ankle boots? check. sounds like the perfect outfit to me.

urban outfitters has a great selection of ankle boots right now, including a few killer jeffrey campbell boots. buy some now and add excitement to your favorite summer outfit.

emily jane loves: blogging

well, it's official - i'm back.

after my extended break, i had to seriously consider whether or not i wanted to continue this blog. don't get me wrong, i love doing it, but it takes a lot of work, and i just wasn't sure if my heart was still in it since this blog still isn't where i want it to be (design-wise and sponsorship). i did some soul searching, however, and realized that especially after my health scare, i need to pursue what i love, which just so happens to be fashion and this blog. so, thank you readers (all five of you) for continuing to support my journey, and i will try and make this blog the best it can be.

now that i've gotten that out of the way, i'd like to share with you one of my favorite go-to outfits. i like to call it my british invasion outfit:

my glasses,which are fake, are from camden market, and inspired the rest of the outfit. my cardigan and pants are from forever 21. my shoes are from payless (yes, payless).

as with any cardigan and glasses combo, i felt like a bun was necessary. my next post will hopefully be a hair tutorial on how to achieve a massive bun like this.

emily jane loves: the met gala 2012

first of all, hey, hello. sadly, i had to take an extended break from blogging when i found out that my appendix had to be removed (i figured that me in a hospital gown wouldn't really count as an outfit post). but now, i'm back and ready to get back to what i love: fashion.

as you all know, the met gala was last night, and the stars came out in true form. here were some of my favorite looks from the night:

diane kruger in prada. in my eyes, diane kruger can do no wrong. i absolutely love this shade of purple- it goes perfectly with her skin tone. miss kruger also tends to wear her hair up, so i'm thrilled that she wore it down with this dress.

lily collins in valentino. this is definitely the type of dress i would eye at the store, maybe even buy without trying it on (i'm the worst) and then put it on at home only to realize it looks horrible on my body type. i love the femininity of this dress, and the bow really ties the look together.

camilla belle in ralph lauren. stunning, that's really all there is to it. the tan, the crimson lips, the hair pulled back, the plunging neckline? it just all works.

coco rocha in vintage givenchy. this look is really fun. pink and yellow are a fun combination, especially for the spring or summer. i think the met gala was the perfect place to wear this look because i probably wouldn't be caught dead wearing this outfit pretty much anywhere else.

when it came down to my favorite outfit of the night, i couldn't pick just one, so two ladies will share the spotlight:

beyonce in givenchy and carrie mulligan in prada.

i expected beyonce to look fabulous, but she took fabulous to another level with this dress. the detailing and tailoring on this dress are just perfection. she also pulled off a sheer dress in a classy way, unlike some other celebs (ahem, fergie). last, but not least, can we talk about her body? didn't she just have a baby two seconds ago?

carey mulligan. sigh. she's my girl crush. this dress makes her look like a mermaid, but in a good way. okay, either a mermaid or a disco ball, but either way, i love it. this dress also does a nice job of creating an hour glass figure on someone who has a boyish body type.

emily jane loves: fake eyelashes

if you're ever feeling down, ladies, try this: fake eyelashes. they're cheaper than going on a shopping spree  at anthropology and they won't give you love handles like those french fries from mcdonald's. i promise you, they're the instant pick-me-up.

here is my step-by-step guide to how fake eyelashes can transform your look (and your life):

1. pick up a pair of fake eyelashes. they sell them at sephora, ulta and the high end department make-up counters, but i prefer to buy mine at cvs. typically, i buy the brand ardell, but this time i decided to try katy perry's new line of fake eye lashes*.

2. wash your face clean of all eye make-up except for any base you may use. (and here is the sacrifice i'm making for this blog: posting a picture of myself without make-up on the internet)

3. apply the glue onto the fake eyelashes along the lash line.

4. make sure the entire lash line is white with the glue.

5. apply the fake eyelash to your natural lash line. make sure it's as close to the natural lash line as possible or the eyelashes will fall off and you will look like a fool. it should look something like this:

6. apply your eye make-up as usual, making sure you apply a thicker coat of eye liner to cover up any white glue that's showing. note: just because you are wearing fake eyelashes does not mean you can skip mascara. the mascara acts as another layer of glue to help the eyelashes stay put.

7.  BOOM! you have fake eyelashes, and for two seconds you might, just might, feel like kim kardashian. notice how my left eye is smizing and my right eye is not? that, my friends, is just another built-in perk of fake eyelashes.

*note: i was not impressed by katy perry's line. the lashes were great and seemed more natural looking than ardell, but the glue was horrible. if you buy her line, make sure you buy the glue separate.

emily jane loves: asymmetrical hemlines

i think asymmetrical hemlines are really fun. i don't see this trend lasting forever, so i decided to buy a dress with an asymmetrical hemline while they're still popular. the asymmetrical hemline isn't for everyone, however, because the front of dress is so short. it's a bizarre feeling to know that your behind is completely covered, but your front is exposed. with a simple gust of wind you could be showing everyone more than you bargained for (trust me, i found this out the hard way).

warning: be prepared to show a lot of leg.

                                  

have fun with the asymmetrical hemline dress and match it with different patterns or colors like i did.

here are some other ways you can wear the asymmetrical hemline dress: