Love Leather

I've been slightly obsessed lately with leather so I thought I would look for a few faux leather pieces that my readers might be interested in. I started with the lowest-priced item that I could find: a faux leather trim t-shirt at only $18. I did a post on Monday on some fabulous faux leather finds, so if you are like me and love this trend, jump on it while it is hot!

Slightly off topic, I thought I would give you guys a little peek into what has been my life as of late. My three-year-old son started school today (pre-school) and I think I was a little more stressed out than he was. I hardly slept a wink last night knowing that we had to be up at the crack of dawn and dressed, fed, make-up on (that would be me, not him). We made it on time and he went in with no stress or tears.

I have also been busy teaching (eight classes this year.) I love my job and I am so fortunate to spend a few days a week teaching girls to dance. This is my first year in over ten years to teach kids under the age of ten. It is very cool to see little minds at work and to see them grasp concepts. Now if I can just get them to listen to me the WHOLE time then we will be in business!

Have a fabulous day!

Pretty in Pastels - Part 3

Pretty in Pastels - Part 3 by amyshaughnessy on polyvore.com

Pretty in Pastels - Part 2

Part two of this series is devoted to pastel dresses. There were so many fabulous choices but I had to limit my selection to just a few.

I love how the pastel trend embraces many different silhouettes, therefore suiting just about every body type that there is. My favorite is the Asos Bell Skirt Dress. Not only is the color perfect but I think it would be a great dress for women with short torsos. The dropped waist line gives the appearance of a longer waist line and therefore balances the proportions of the body. The last dress (the peplum) would look great on girls with boyish frames. The little peplum ruffle will add a visual curve to the hips, giving a straight body some dimension. I also love the Soda Fountain dress. No matter your shape or size, you have a figure and a waist line. The tie at the waist shows your shape (you have one and it is beautiful so flaunt it).

I am headed to Vegas today. I know most people would be thrilled at the idea of seeing the fabulous sights and the shows, dining, etc. My husband and I are looking forward to a full night's sleep for the first time in 6 months. Sin City (Sleep City) here we come!

Pretty in Pastels - Part 1

With Easter just around the corner, it seems only appropriate to do a post devoted to pastels. The sweet, soft colors remind me of my childhood. (Except these pieces exude a little more maturity than the pieces I wore as a child.)

I like the idea of mixing two pastel shades together. Maybe a pair of light blue skinny jeans with a soft yellow tank. You can always wear a neutral color (ivory) with a pastel color if mixing colors isn't quite your thing.

Pastels are a great way to get in on the color trend without worrying about the pieces you purchase going out of style. A simple pastel blouse is sure to be in style much longer than a neon pair of jeans. (Neon is coming back, believe it or not!)

I am definitely loving the very first blouse. The color and lace fabric combined make this a very sweet piece. While this may be my favorite, I wouldn't say no to the skinny jeans!

I hope y'all have a great weekend!

I Love the Flower Girl - Part 3

I Love the Flower Girl - Part 3 by amyshaughnessy on polyvore.com

Today is the last day in my floral trend series. Just to show you how popular the trend is: half of the pictures I saved for this trend series were sold out by the time I was ready to publish each post. Of course, the selection of floral print garments is vast so you should have plenty to choose from should you decide to purchase any.

It seems that I have been including my favorite items at the beginning of each collection. I really love this first long sleeve pink blouse. I think this blouse would look great with a pair of shorts and sandals (you pick your favorite height. I think flats, wedges, or heels would all look stellar with shorts). Fifteen years ago I would have freaked at the idea of wearing a long sleeve shirt with shorts. (I was in high school then so I was pretty much self-conscious about a lot of things). To me, long sleeve shirts were synonymous with winter (as shorts were with summer), so I would have never imagined mixing the two. These days I will try just about anything (except perhaps a dress made of meat; you can leave that to Lady Gaga).

I included a few pairs of floral stud earrings at the end of this collection for those of you who want to try the floral trend but want to do so in a small way. The earrings are delicate and will definitely add a touch of femininity  to your look without being over the top.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend and are ready for the week ahead!

I Love the Flower Girl - Part 2

I Love the Flower Girl - Part 2 by amyshaughnessy on polyvore.com

So for those of you who did not catch the title of yesterday's and today's post, I will tell you that it is a line from the song "The Rain, the Park, and Other Things," (you can hear the song here). When I was thinking about my floral series for the weekend, I couldn't help but sing the song aloud. It is somewhat meaningful to me because my mom loves it so much. She was just recently married to her first love (they dated in high school but didn't find each other again until about three years ago), and this was a song that was special to them. Apparently, my step-dad called my mom his 'flower girl." Hence the title of my series.

I decided to devote today's post to skirts, shorts, and pants. Floral prints seem quite appropriate on skirts and shorts as they are very spring-like and summery in their nature. However, floral prints on pants and jeans are a little different (in my opinion), so of course I love them! (I love anything out of the ordinary when it comes to clothing.) I think pairing a loose-fitting, breezy top with any of these options would look great for spring. Add some flat sandals, light make-up, and some beach waves to your hair, and you have a modern hippie look that is sure to look effortless.

Out of all of the options, I think I like the sheer floral pants from Forever 21. A great buy at only $25 and they are different from the floral pieces I have seen lately. Which is yours?

I Love the Flower Girl - Part 1

I Love the Flower Girl by amyshaughnessy on polyvore.com

If you haven't noticed, the floral trend is taking on the fashion world by storm. Pretty floral prints seem to be everywhere, even on accessories like this iphone case. 

I am starting this three-part series with jumpsuits and dresses because I think that they are the easiest to wear. You don't have to worry about finding a top to go with a printed bottom or even worry about mixing a printed top and printed bottom (if you are that brave). With something so simple (and comfortable) as a jumpsuit or dress, you just can't go wrong.

I will always have a special place in my heart for a jumpsuit. I think they are so chic and make any woman look instantly stylish. So if you were wondering why I placed jumpsuits at the very beginning, that is why. I saved the best for the beginning this time!

Pick Your Perfect (Mini) Skirt

Pick Your Perfect (Mini) Skirt by amyshaughnessy on polyvore.com

I saved mini skirts for the last segment in my Pick Your Perfect Skirt series. I think I might have saved this segment for the end because mini skirts are not my favorite type of skirt to wear. While I think they are adorable, I have always had a fear of wearing them. I'm constantly convinced that when I stand up, the skirt is going to be tucked into my underwear somehow. Or a strong breeze will come along...you get the point.

I have seen many girls wear these types of skirts well without portraying any of the fears I just listed. If you are one of them, good for you. Maybe you can help me get over my fear. Or just tell me that I am being ridiculous.

If I were going to be brave and try one of these cute skirts, I would probably pick the very first skirt. I love the large pleats (giving the skirt a little fullness) and think it would look adorable with a long sleeve button up blouse and some sandals.

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                                                                    Beauty Bit

What do you guys think about pink lipstick? Check out this picture of Julianne Moore sporting a hot pink lip. Are you a fan? I don't know if I'm quite ready to embrace pink lipstick in such a vibrant shade. Usually when I do pink, I stick to a gloss so that it isn't so bright. How about you? Do you like hot pink?

Pick Your Perfect (Maxi) Skirt

Pick Your Perfect (Maxi) Skirt by amyshaughnessy on polyvore.com

Maxi skirts on the menu for today! I love a good maxi skirt. They are so easy to wear (and comfortable too!) and can be dressed up or down for just about any occasion. Try pairing a knotted chambray shirt (or any other button-up shirt, for that matter) with a maxi skirt for a casual look. Throw on a fedora (I'm really getting back into the fedora look again) and you have a perfect weekend outfit.

Right now I am really liking the pleated maxi skirts as well as the ones with a high-low hem. Which is your favorite (assuming you even like maxi skirts) out of the few I selected?

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                                                                   Beauty Bit

So seeing as how this is a fashion AND beauty blog, I thought I should actually contribute to the 'beauty' part of it. Somehow fashion just seems to get all of the hype on this blog. :)

I came across this little article on InStyle's website last night. Essentially it says that purple eye shadow looks great on green-eyed girls. I won't argue with this point but would like to say that I think it looks just as great on blue and brown-eyed girls the same. I tend to wear purple eye shadow a lot and (having blue eyes) think that the purple actually makes my blue eyes stand out even more. I think this is the point they were trying to make with green eyes. Perhaps purple is just such a vibrant color that it can't help but make your eyes look brighter no matter what their hue.

To apply: Try a dark shade of purple in the crease of your eye and blend out and up (toward your brow somewhat). Use a lighter shade of purple (preferably a little lighter than this) on the top part of your eye lid and blend in to meet the dark shadow. Use a highlighting shade and apply just beneath your eyebrow. This is the way I have been applying eye shadow for years (my mom taught me) and it works rather well for me.

Pick Your Perfect (Pencil) Skirt - Part 1

Pick your Perfect Pencil Skirt by amyshaughnessy on polyvore.com

Fashion trends come and go, but there is one classic silhouette that has been with us for a long time and will continue to persevere through all of the crazy trends - the pencil skirt. It is a timeless piece that works on most (I venture to say all) body types. Done the right way, you can confidently sport one of these skirts.

If you are tall, then the longer pencil skirts (hitting just below the knee) will look great. However if you are petite, choose a length that hits just above the knee. This will give the illusion of a longer leg. In my opinion, heels look best with a pencil skirt. Heels will add length (which most women love). Choosing a nude or flesh colored heel is the best way to achieve this elongated look.

I have chosen several different styles of pencil skirts above to fit many different tastes. I think my favorite are the peplum skirts (although the floral skirts are pretty as well). Which is your favorite?

Stay tuned for the next segment in my Pick Your Perfect Skirt series!