Frugal Fashion Friday - Summer Beach Style Under $20

Every year I look forward to our family beach trip. Over the years I've learned that less is more and items that do double duty are the best. I live in swimsuits, sandals and easy dresses.  Our days are spent on the beach and afternoons and evenings are spent hanging out with the family at the beach house. There is no need for fancy outfits. I enjoy the ease of a sundress and a few simple pieces of jewelry. In case you're headed to the beach this summer, here are a few of my favorite items.



Click the photos above for buying details.

 

A simple wide brimmed sun hat is mandatory for me at the beach.  I wear tons of sunscreen but I also wear a hat. Years ago I bought a wide brimmed straw hat like this one and it is my go to hat for the beach every year. Reading this article in W just confirmed that I'm on the right track when it comes to sun protection. In addition to my hat, I always wear sunglasses, they look great and protect my eyes. This pair looks a lot like a designer pair that costs $138. At $9.99 these are a great deal and they have 100% UVA/UVB protection.

This maxi dress from Old Navy can be worn to the beach or out in the afternoon. You can even change it up by added a belt or a scarf. Multiple wears and less stuff in your suitcase.  A cover up and an evening sundress all in one. Just from their name you know the Double Wear Floating Beaded Elastics from Goody do double duty.  They can be worn on your wrist as a bracelet and when you need to put your hair up, there they are. Pretty and functional. I own three pairs of simple sandals from Kohl's that I purchased almost 10 years ago. I wear them all summer and they've held up well.  They don't make the style I own any longer but these sandals from LC by Lauren Conrad come in ten different colors.  You can wear them to the beach and then out later.

Pretty earrings, like these from Stella and Dot, are a must have for me at the beach.  They are easy to throw on, no matter my hair style and they don't stick to my sweaty summer skin.  They can elevate a simple dress, like the maxi and make it look a bit fancy. Bonus, they are on sale for half price! Pretty toes are also a must for me at the beach.  I love a bright color like this coral.

I always attach a watch to my beach bag. I could sit in the sun all day but it's not good for me. Knowing the time, helps me be smart about my sun exposure. This watch is chic enough to wear out but if something happened to it at the beach, I wouldn't be upset. Speaking of beach bags, this tote from Target is fun and easy to haul to the beach with my sunscreen and magazines.  It's cotton and isn't lined, sand will be easy to shake out and you can wash it without worry. Hydration is important when you are in the sun.  This water bottle from UncommonGoods will save the planet from disposable bottles and infuse your water with flavor.

Can you believe that every item is less than $20!?  Just proving that great beach style doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Happy Friday Real Girls!

Glitter is My Favorite Color

I might have mentioned my ridiculous collection of nail polish.  I'm trying hard to limit buying new polish and use new combos of polish I already own.  I pinned this nail polish combo from The Nailasaurus on my Pinterest board titled "Nail It!".  Be sure to check out Sammy's amazing polish combos.

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Party of 5 Glitters - The Nailasaurus

I have several gray polishes in my collection and decided to go with Maybelline Color Show Audacious Asphalt. It's not as dark as the polish that Sammy used but it's just a pretty.  Instead of just doing glitter tips, I did an all over glitter using Wet n Wild Spoiled in Trust Fund Baby.

Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer, Audacious Asphalt - CVS pharmacy / Spoiled Nail Color Trust Fund Baby - CVS pharmacy

I love the way the mani turned out.  But I realized two things as I was posting this photo.  My cuticles need serious attention and I am in desperate need of a new eye glasses prescription immediately.  It's hard to pay attention to your cuticles if you can't see them. The gray and glitter combo works and I'm sure I'll be trying it again with other colors.  It was fun to wear to a holiday party on Saturday.

Are you doing extra fun polish combos for the Holidays?

Nail Art for the Time Crunched and Polish Challenged

There are lots of ladies out there who don't have time or the inclination to do nail art (including me, many days).  I have to admit that crystal and flower laden nails aren't for me. When I refer to nail art, I mean an interesting pattern or a little glitter.  There are products out there that can give you a nail art look easily.

Nail Polish Strips
Lots of companies are making nail polish strips but my personal favorite are by Sally Hansen.  They are easily found at your local drugstore, they come in tons of colors and patterns and they're affordable.  I've occasionally found coupons for them as well.  The bonus is that they last for about 7 days or more.

Incoco, Sephora, and Kiss also make strips. I've tried Incoco and Sephora.  In fact Incoco were the first strips I tried.  The Sephora strips are more like stickers. There were think and I didn't like them as much as the Incoco and Sally Hansen versions.

Magnetic Polish
One of the latest nail polish trends is magnetic polish.  The polish has metal particles in it. While the polish is wet, you hold the magnet cap over the polish and it creates a design.  The magnets with each brand have a different pattern (star, wave, stripes).  This post by Scrangie has details and shows the designs you can get with the China Glaze magnet.  The Sally Hansen version has a wave design.  The difference is the way you paint your nails.  You'll put a light base coat on you nails.  Then you'll need to paint a single nail and hold the magnet over the wet nail (without touching it). Then move onto the next nail.  The Sally Hansen version dried quickly.

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color in Silver Elements

Glitter Polish
With a single swipe of glitter polish, you can turn a basic nail color into a fun, artsy manicure.  Almost every brand has glitter polish. I always go for the budget brands like Wet 'n Wild. They have lots of options and the polish costs 99 cents to $1.99 per bottle.

Spoiled by Wet n' Wild - Jewelry Heist over Show Me Some Skin

These are my quick ways to get a better than basic manicure without spending tons of time.  Do you have any quick manicure tricks?

Have a great Tuesday!

Just Simple

There are many times that I get dressed and ask myself, "Do I want to take pictures of this outfit for the blog?"  I don't want to bore all of you with jeans and a t-shirt or a skirt and cardigan.  There are mornings when I get up and don't feel like putting lots of thought into my outfit so I go for the easy options. I gravitate toward those old standbys.  I love getting dressed up but sometimes jeans and a top make the perfect outfit.  This outfit is one of those. It's a simple t-shirt style top with some oomph paired with my fave pair of straight leg jeans.  I wasn't wearing any jewelry when I originally put this outfit together.  Well, except for the jewelry I wear every day (my engagement ring, the bracelet that was gift from {msL} and earrings).  Then I received an amazing package in the mail, from Kristin, my friend and Stella & Dot stylist. Of course I had to add more jewelry.

Top - Calvin Klein (similar here), Jeans - Lane Bryant, Sandals - Simply Vera Wang Kohl's (no longer available), Bag - Fendi (gift), Sunglasses - D&G via Loehmann's (also here), Bracelets (on right)- c/o Stella & Dot, Ring - c/o Stella & Dot, Bracelets (on left) - gift and vintage, Watch - Timex via Target, Earrings - Target (no longer available), Toes - Wet n' Wild Spoiled in Tip Your Waitress, Nails - Revlon ColorStay in Bare Bones, Lips - Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Lovesick

I received these lovely gifts from Stella & Dot stylist Kristin.  I'm in love!  They are the perfect combo of tough and pretty (Soiree Trio Ring, Renegade Cluster Bracelet, Revival Bracelet, and Toujours Bracelet) .  If you own some Stella & Dot bracelets yourself or want to grab a few, Stella & Dot is holding a contest right now.  If you snap a photo of your arm party via Instagram and upload it with the hashtag #SDarmparty, you could win a $500 Stella & Dot shopping spree!! (Details here)

Search for your own gold sequin top via Shop Style.com

gold sequin top

M is for Makeup and Monday

It's supposed to rain for the entire week here in DC.  I guess I can't complain since we had a beautiful weekend and it's supposed to be beautiful next weekend.  Rain really makes me feel blah so I'm going to try to boost my mood this week with some fun and color.  Today I thought I'd share with you some of my new favorite products.

I've made my love of the (fairly) new Revlon ColorStay Longwear nail enamel well known. It's truly the longest wearing nail polish I have ever found. I love the colors they have. Unfortunately, I'm a bit of a nail polish slut and I need more options than just those provided in this line.  I have however, been using the base and the top coat with all of my nail polish and it helps them all last almost as long as the Revlon Colorstay nail colors.  It's amazing!  Right now CVS is selling this polish for $4.99 and you will get $3 in CVS Extra Care Bucks with your first bottle.  It's like getting the polish for $1.99!  If you can find an in store tear pad coupon then it will cost just 99 cents! If you don't live in the DC area, check your local ad for details.

Since I've been wearing Revlon Photoready Airbrush Mousse Makeup, I've had lots of people ask me about my makeup.  I need a little extra coverage to even my skin tone as I've gotten a little older.  But I hate foundation that feels thick and heavy, especially as the weather gets warmer.  It's so light and still covers amazingly well. It gives my skin a pretty finish and I only use a grape size amount. I apply it with a brush.  I got this amazing foundation through a huge deal, using two coupons and also got ECBs back. 

I've been using the Revlon Photoready foundation with L'Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer. I don't use it as an all over primer because I like it more as a highlighter.  I put a tiny drop on my finger and blend it on my upper cheek bone and above my brow.  It gives my skin a pretty glow without looking sparkly.
 

From top:  Show Me Some Skin and Jewelry Heist

Jewelry Heist over Show Me Some Skin - LOVE this combo

Back in the winter, Wet 'n Wild came out with a new line of polishes called Spoiled.  They are sold exclusively at CVS for $1.99.  For inexpensive polishes they are good quality and come in an amazing color selection (link to the selection on vampyvarnish.com).  CVS has had quite a few sales recently (Buy Two get One Free and 99 cents each, on different weeks).  I've tried out several colors and I'm loving them for the quality and price. When I apply them along with the Revlon ColorStay base and top coats, they have great staying power. Without Revlon, they tend to last about the same time as the average polish.

Those are just a few of my new favorites.  Which products are you loving right now?

Lips and Nails - Fun Spring Colors

Bright lip and nail colors can get me through the dark days of winter.  Since we haven't had much winter to speak of here in DC and this week it's in the 80's, I am inspired to share my lip and nail picks for the spring.  With a mix of brights and pastels, there is something for everyone.

Lips

 A bold lip color can really change up your look.  It can make a basic outfit seem special.  The perfect color can even brighten your face. A pretty pink looks great on every skin tone.  Tinted lip balm, like the one below from Mary Kay, can be worn sheer or built up for a more opaque look. 

Mary Kay NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss - Rock 'n Red

Mary Kay Tinted Lip Balm (spf 15) - Poppy

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color - Coral Crush

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color - Fuchsia Fever

Nails

I love these colors for nails or toes.  They are fun and a great way to infuse a bit of color into your look. For spring I'm loving bright pinks, blues, and corals as well as a range of pastel colors.

Revlon ColorStay - Rich Raspberry

OPI - Fly

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Mint Sorbet (you might recognize this shade from my sunnies DIY)

essie - A Crewed Interest

Wet 'n Wild Spoiled - Lox-y Lady (sold exclusively at CVS)

Golden Night Owl

Clearly I love Owl's Night by L'Oreal. This is my second post featuring this great color. I hope I'm not boring you. It's dark but not solid black. The base is an off black color with a hint of espresso and it has gold flecks. I added a reverse gold half moon at each tip using Wet 'n Wild Craze in Shield.

I'm loving all of the nail art I am seeing lately. I like fun combinations but nothing over the top. I will be trying more soon. What colors and combos do you like best?