Style Lush

Shutter Sisters "Expressive Photography" Giveaway Winner!

By Leah

Thanks for indulging my curiosity and telling me about your cameras in the comments for our latest book giveaway. Now I'll indulge your curiosity and tell you who actually won the copy of Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sisters Guide to Shooting from the Heart.  

 

Number 21 is Michel--Michel who already takes beautiful photographs, IMO, but who will certainly be inspired by the book nonetheless. Congrats, Michel! (And for everyone else, the book is still on sale through Amazon for only $17.99, so don't miss out.)

Thanks to Shutter Sisters for this great giveaway and to all of you who played along!

More Style Lush Babies!

By Jennie

If you are not interested in getting pregnant, I'd advise you to avoid drinking the Style Lush water. We are a baby-making group with more stylish babies being welcomed to the world recently!

So, without further ado, we'd love to officially give a warm welcome to these new babies! Since we can't all snuggle them in person, I hope virtual love will suffice for now. 

First, Elijah Michael, a handsome boy was born to Manda and her husband John. I love that her daughter Sydney is already rocking big sisterhood!

Then, Isla Sloan was born to Katie and her husband Jonathan and is just the prettiest thing around.

Go say congrats on their sites or leave a comment below! You can't ever give too many warm wishes on new babies!

And from your Style Lush family, Katie and Manda, we're so happy for you and yours!

Fall and Winter Nail Polish Round Up

By Megan

Style Lush reader Kat emailed asking for our recommendation for fall and winter nail colors. Like many of us, Kat is in a nail color rut, repeating the red on her toes, pale pink on her fingers combo, and wants to spice things up.

Last year the writers rounded up their favorite colors, but this is always a topic that deserves revisiting, particularly since there are some absolutely fabulous colors this season.

Let me say that I can empathize with Kat. I’m a big fan of OPI’s Nice Color, Eh? which looks absolutely nothing like that picture, unfortunately. It’s my go to color for all seasons, but I could certainly use a little inspiration.

Let’s start with Essie’s Fall 2010 collection. What’s not to love? Personally, I’m digging the fact that they have a mini set of four of the colors from the collection, for those of us who would prefer to play around with a few colors rather than commit to one for the season.

 1. Limited Addiction, 2. Sew Psyched, 3. Little Brown Dress, 4. Merino Cool

Essie also has a winter collection, available November 1.

Moving on, Sonia Kashuk makes these great three packs with just enough variety to keep you busy.

"Lend a Hand" Nail Polish Trio

Reach for the Stars Nail Polish Trio

Finally, for all of your holiday celebrations, I think you're sure to be a hit with this beauty by Sephora by OPI.

Merry Me!

What nail polish colors are you loving right now?

(Photo credits: Essie.com, Target.com, Sephora.com)

Eyebrow Tools and Techniques

by Christina

I'm going to tell you a secret. Ready? I rock a uni-brow. I started tweezing when I was 12, and I'm now a lot older than 12 so I've been doing this for a very long time. It is safe to say I spend more time on my brows than anything else as they require daily maintenance. I find the work to be worth it --  a clean brow keeps my face looking fresh and properly framed. Unlike the natural state that resembles one giant furry caterpillar.

My favorite tweezer is the slant by Tweezerman.

 

I don't have time to try and grab the same hair seven times, these get every hair on the first attempt and when you're doing this everyday you want it to be quick. I also use their scissors which are just as important.

 
I trim and then tweeze, trimming is a great way to insure you dont over do it. You are less likely to end up with a surprise bald spot, which, hello, no one wants.

If tweezing is painful try using a hot washcloth over your brows before you start to open up your pores, this can help take the sting out of it. If you have issues with irritation after I like to use Neosporin with pain relief to help with any redness and leftover ouch.  If you're new to tweezing or wonder if you're doing it "right" this video has step by step instructions including how to determine where your arch belongs and how wide apart to tweeze and a fool proof way to use a pencil and your eye shape to get it just right. If you don't already take care of your brows, trust me, it is the best way to enhance your eyes and is an instant makeover. It may sting a little at first but you get used to it, promise.

{images via tweezerman}

 

Yummie Tummie Giveaway Winner!

By Leah

Yummie, Yummie, Yummie, I've got shapewear holding in my tummy...

Sorry, just singing a little tune there for the winner of the shapewear leggings courtesy of Style Lush sponsor Yummie Tummie. And who is the lucky girl?

 
It's you if your name is Roz and you were commenter #26! Congratulations, Roz! Time to rock the leggings and show us all how it's done.   

Latest Love: Boots

By Elisabeth

 I recently hit DSW for my fall shoe purchases and stumbled across these here Zigi Soho Mixer Boots.

I tried them on, they fit great. They are distressed, which I TOTALLY love in a boot. They also zip on the outsides which I think is pretty cool and different.

The price is great too. $99.95

(Compared to original price of $169.00.)

Here's the question.

Are they, in fact, CUTE?

And, if so, how would you wear them?

I've got the skinny jeans that I mentioned last week, but how else? Since they are brown, wearing black leggings is out of the question, (right?) so do I go off and buy cream leggings?

Remember, I'm prego, so darker is better, but I do want to have more options with these besides the skinny jean. I guess wearing regular jeans, boot cut, over the jeans is definitely an option.

Ideas?

 

{photo credit: DSW.com}

Store Spotlight: Three Potato Four

By Janet

I absolutely love vintage decor, but rarely have time to peruse local antique shops and, even if I do find something fabulous, I never know quite how to display my fabulous find. I am definitely not one of those amazing people who can magically turn a box of vintage glassware into a gorgeous centerpiece.

One of my favorite online places for quirky collectibles is Three Potato Four, not only because they have a repository of eclectic antiques and and vintage-inspired goodies, but also because they provide inspiring photos for displaying the curiosities. 

Some of the items on the site, like these antique bottles, would be perfect for a vintage-inspired wedding or bridal shower.

One of my absolute favorite items on the site is this 50s-inspired Manhattan Poster by Jim Datz. I adore the 50s-inspired fonts and colors.

The inventory changes, so you'll have to just go take a peek. Happy shopping!

{Image Credit: Three Potato Four}

Bow Ties. Yes, Bow Ties.

By Beth

I have a 2.5 year old son with an older sister and two girl cousins. Family holidays are an orgy of taffeta and pigtails and lace and sparkles and hair bows and glittery shoes and ruffley bottoms and my one rambunctious little boy in khakis and a botton down running around stealing barrettes. But this year? Oh man, this year I have found the perfect way for my guy to show all those adorable girls what cute really is. Bow ties.

Like this one:

That's the Argyle in Splash Bow Tie, $4.50 from steadyjane's shop.  That tie on my blue-eyed blond? That kid is getting away with anything on Thanksgiving. Although I may have to change him halfway through dinner into one of these:

Those are Seersucker Bow Ties, $20 at babybystevie's shop, and I think I need red and blue.  And green.  Maybe yellow.

Wait, forget yellow.  I'll take this one instead, for him to wear during dessert.

One Yellow Polka Dot Bow Tie, also $20 at babybystevie's shop to go please.

Let's get to it people!  We need to cute up these boys while they will still allow us to do it, and I think a liberal application of bow ties is the perfect way to do it.

(Photos from steadyjane's etsy shop and babybystevie's etsy shop.)

How Would You Wear It: Sweetheart Neckline

By Hillary

I love jewelry but I'm not very adventurous when it comes to accessorizing an outfit. I would love to be more bold with my jewelry choices but I have no idea how to start. I was raised with a vague (but strict) set of fashion guidelines like "stick to classic lines" and "don't mix patterns or textures." I am paralyzed by the thought of branching out of my comfort zone.

Which is where all of you stylish readers come in. I need help accessorizing my little black dress. Unfortunately, I can't find my dress online but it has a similar neckline and cut to the Banana Republic dress below (though my dress is all black and is shorter.)

My dilemma is this:

Do I wear a long necklace that drapes below the neckline like this gorgeous piece from Savage Salvage?

 

Or do I wear a short necklace that falls above the neckline?  If I keep it short, do I stick with delicate and demure like this necklace by Roundabout Designs?

Or do I go chunky and bold like the blue lagoon necklace by Denise Jewelry Designs?

My solution so far has been to wear the dress with no necklace at all, which I think we can all agree is not so much a solution as it is a shameful display of my laziness. I'd love some suggestions - Long? Short? Chunky? Dainty?

{Photo credits: Banana Republic, Savage Salvage on Etsy, roundabout designs on Etsy, Denise Jewelry Designs on Etsy}

The Eyeliner That Changed My Life

by Blythe

I've been wearing black eyeliner since the the seventh grade, when I saved up my babysitting money for that stick of Wet-n-Wild in the make-up aisle at Woolworth's.  (I'm dating myself again, aren't I?)  I'd read somewhere that it would make my eyes look sultry and defined, a high priority for this flat-chested spelling bee champion.  By gum, if I was never going to be buxom, I may as well be sultry.  (Both adjectives were mainly familiar to me from the bottom of nail polish bottles and, as far as I knew, referred to different shades of pink.)

From seventh grade until, oh, age thirty-something, I lived with raccoon eyes.  This was decidedly not a sultry look.  I must suffer from sweaty eyeball syndrome or greasy eye bags or some other appealing condition, because all my eyeliner, even when I applied it only to my upper eyelid, ended up in creases under my eyes a couple of hours later.  Yes, even the liquid stuff and the waterproof stuff and the cheap stuff and the expensive stuff.

Until!  I discovered the miracle stuff.  It does not melt or drip or smudge or bag, and I can remove it using regular eye make up remover, without dragging a loofah across my eyelid.  I love it.

Makeup For Ever Aqua Eyes in Mat Black

And now I'm sultry all the time.  The end.

{Photo credit: sephora.com}