fashion friday: spring in my step

Spring is near & my heart couldn’t be happier. But let’s be honest, my toes are even more happy about the transition in weather. THEY WILL BE FREE! I can wear bright-colored sandals, printed Keds, gladiators, wedges and my infamous must-have Rainbows. The possibilities are endless, but make sure those toes are painted please! Nobody likes bare piggies!

This spring is taking a throwback by trending 90s style. Being a 90s gal, this is right up my alley! Below are some of my favorites from the 90s that I definitely plan on bringing back in my style this spring:

 

If you don’t know what any of these treasures are, I’ll be praying for you. At the top are the adorable Jelly shoes. I literally wore these almost every day and my mom bought me every color! They are super affordable too.

Underneath are the comfortable Birkenstocks. These are a HIT this spring. It seems as though I have been seeing them pop out of the woodwork for weeks now. They cost between $100 – $140 on average, but I promise you they LAST FOREVER and you will get your moneys worth.

Lastly are the Keds. Taylor Swift herself has made these babies popular in recent years and once again, they will be springing in my step. I love how affordable they are and the many print varieties. To top it off, my favorite designer is Kate Spade and she has an exclusive line with Keds right now. I died.

If you click on the pics, I have provided links to where you can find these gems. Join with me this spring & take it back to the 90s.

PS – Most of my style inspiration comes from my Pinterest. Feel free to follow at http://www.pinterest.com/brandiwelk/ 🙂 Have a great weekend dolls!

fashion friday: overalls

Born in 1992, I consider myself a full blown 90s kid all the way. I still remember the style trends with converse, frilly ankle socks, faded high-waisted jeans, the dreadful scrunchies and my absolute favorite, OVERALLS! I cannot even begin t describe to you all how excited I am that my favorite past time is trending this spring.

Lucky for me, my mom just gave me 2 pairs of her old overalls. I almost died. They need a little bit of work and giving them the old grunge look, but they will be FABULOUS! Below are some of my favorite looks with overalls:

I cannot handle the comfortable cuteness. I mean seriously, who doesn’t like overalls?! You don’t have to put hardly any effort into wearing them. Sounds like a winner to me! Some places carrying overalls right now are Old Navy, Target, and Forever21. Your best bet would probably be thrift stores though. Plus, they will already have a worn look!

Be on the lookout for this precious trend this spring. I know I will be fixing mine up this weekend and will definitely post a how-to  🙂

fashion friday: floral blazers

Anyone that knows me, knows that I have a collection of blazers & am obsessed with bright floral prints. Needless to say, I am ecstatic about floral print blazers coming into the scene this Spring. They honestly just make me so happy! (Plus, I got one on super sale at Target this past summer and am dying to wear it)

Below are a few of my favorite looks & where to find them:

  

All of these fabulous florals can be found at www.lulus.com — and get this, they are all under $50 .00

From left to right, ASOS – $68 ,  LOFT – $70 ,  Nasty Gal – $58

Another great place to look is www.polyvore.com and I’m sure before we know it, Target, Old Navy & Forever 21 will have some as well.

So, make an appearance this Spring & bloom into your full potential ladies!

fashion friday: trends for Spring 2014

I don’t know about all of you, but I am BEYOND READY for Spring weather. The bright colors, bare toes, flowers & sunshine . . . I need it in my life, as well as, the fashion trends that are coming with it. Last spring we saw lots of cutouts, lace and stripes. This year, it’s even better!

Below is what you and your wallet can look forward to in Spring 2014 —

• PRETTY PASTELS – This is by far my favorite. Pastels are so complimentary to anyone’s skin tone and also give a nice touch of purity to any outfit.
• WIDE-LEG TROUSERS – Bell bottoms making a comeback?! Close. This spring you can look forward to chic wide-legged trousers in linen and prints to wisp you away.
• TEA-LENGTH SKIRTS – Oh, I just adore!! Tea-length skirts are longer skirts that can be paired with a crop top or tucked-in blouse. Twirl away ladies!!
• CROPPED & BOMBER JACKETS – Look for cropped & collarless jackets to hit the stores soon. They will also have lots of prints to choose from. Also, the infamous bomber jacket will be making the scene. Pair either of these jackets with a nice pair of shorts or capris and call it a day.
• GLADIATORS – I think gladiator sandals will always be trending. Many runway models have been paired with these. Especially, knee-high gladiators.

Spring 2014 is going to be one for the books. You mean I get to wear pastels & gladiators?! I’m already super anxious!

Get your pocketbooks ready ladies & happy Spring shopping!

P.S. – I think tax-refunds come out this time of year for a reason. Go reward yourself for all of your hard work!!

acne SUCKS!

We’ve all heard those myths about eating too much chocolate will cause acne and apparently so will wearing makeup. WRONG! Although, it does seem that pretty much anything can cause a bad skin day. Among the people I talked to about this, it was by far the biggest problem everyone faced (pun intended folks). I think one of the worst things in the world is having a blemish on your face. It’s always going to be on your mind and of course, you think everyone is staring at you because of it.

Acne is truly a demon and unfortunately, a problem among even the most famous. I, once again, sought out to my friends and beauty gurus about what home remedies and products helped them with their skin when it came to acne and the feedback was mind-blowing!! I broke it up into two categories 1) Natural fixer-uppers and 2) Products you can buy:

Natural Fixer-Uppers:

• Natalie H. – “Oil of oregno! Literally the gift of the gods! I get capsules at Whole Foods & use the oil on blemishes or in-grown hairs & it’s cured that day!”
• Me – “If I spot a zit forming, I put a dab of natural honey on it the night before and it dramatically shrinks in size.”
• HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE — Beautiful skin is a direct reflection of how you treat your body. Put down the soda & pick up some water! (Cheaper anyway)

Products You Can Buy:

• Rebecca P. – “I’m loving Dickinson’s Witch Hazel! It’s a toner. My skin has significantly improved & it’s very inexpensive!”
• Megan G. – “I don’t have a secret, but I could not live without my Bare Minerals Makeup!”
• Madison W. – “Benzoyl Peroxide is awesome at attacking your problem spot & making it disappear!” 
• @britniarmstrong – “Dermalogica from Ulta! I use the face wash, toner and active moisturizer. AMAZING PRODUCTS!”
• @candaceconfetti – “I’ve been using Clean and Clear Acne on the Spot treatment for centuries. It’s to die for.”

See, I knew they would be able to help a girl out! Be sure to click on the product names to find out where you can buy them — Thank you so much ladies for all of your insight! I could seriously research and talk about this stuff for hours.

If you have any other suggestions or beauty secrets, I would LOVE to hear from you and add you to the list! Feel free to comment below or tweet me @thePRprincesss (3 S’s)

tips for dry-skinned peeps

As temperatures start to drop, my poor skin starts to hate me and scream for moisture. I’m pretty sure I have some of the driest skin in the entire world. I will cake on moisturizer before bed and still wake up cracked and peeling. Oh, the struggle right?!

I started thinking though . . . there is no way that I am the only girl with this problem. I sought out to my beauty experts on all of my social media channels and thank the Lord for some answers. FINALLY!!

But before I jump ahead, here are 5 tips that have helped me through these harsh winter months:

1. Reducing the heat — Believe it or not, washing your face with too hot of water can cause your skin to dehydrate even more. I know it feels good, but lay off a little.
2. Moisturize — Always always always put on moisturizer before bed and before makeup application. This will also help with keeping your makeup fresh longer.
3. Exfoliate less — No, put that fancy scrub down. During winter months, you should limit any products with alcohol in it or any exfoliators. Your skin is already screaming for hydration. Don’t make it worse!
4. Pop some pills – Not literally folks! But, some vitamins that will really help with your skin are vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin E, vitamin C and Biotin. Most of these can be found in a women’s daily vitamin. Although, I do suggest prenatal vitamins. They are so much better for you!
5. HYDRATE – Your skin is a direct reflection of what you eat and how you treat your body. WATER IS ESSENTIAL!! Drink as much water as you can during the day. You will see a HUGE difference.

After talking with some of my beauty gurus, a list was formed for great products for moisturizing skin:

• Renate S. – “Dermalogica Active Moist: perfect everyday moisturizer lightweight, and feels great under make up.”
• Gianna F. – “… after I wash my makeup off with cold water, I put a little bit of Cocoa Butter in my hand and rub it all over my face. I used to have dry skin and this helps keep it soft and also helps with color!”
• @tracymariemiller – “Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion! Great for traveling for the girl on the go!”
• @burchamvr – “I use Burt’s Bees Face Cream. I LOVE it!”
• Mariah S. – “Organic Argan Oil for my face and hair!”

Wow! What a great list?! Two of my personal favorites are EOS Lip Balm (amazeballs . . . literally) and Philosophy’s Miracle Worker moisturizer. Click the product name to be directed to where you can buy it 🙂 Special thanks to all of my fabulous ladies for revealing your beauty secrets — I know I will be trying them out!

Hang in there ladies . . . Spring is near!!

#longhairdontcare

I’ve moved to a new blog: Southern B & Sweet Tea. Click HERE to view my hair tips & tricks for growing healthy locks fast!

fashion friday: finding the perfect sparkle for your body type

With 2014 right around the corner, that means every woman is in search of the perfect New Years Eve dress. Of course, this dress must include SPARKLES!! Sparkles are the ultimate go-to showstopper. But with that being said, that also means that certain areas of your body will be drawn attention to more than others. So, how do you know which area to bedazzle and which to keep basic? I think it’s best to approach this with taking into consideration your body type. If you’re a full-figured girl, you probably aren’t going to want to wear sequins from head to toe. Through my searching for the right NYE ensemble, I came up with a few tips for each of the five body types. This will not only ease your hunting, but also assist you in accentuating your hottest assets.

1) Apple – This is a woman with a chest and hips that are close to the same size, but your hips tend to be about six inches smaller than your chest. For this, I suggest your sparkle focus point be on the bottom half of your body. This will even out that small difference.

2) Pear – This body type is the exact opposite of the apple. With this, your hips are significantly wider than your shoulders which causes you to be curvy on your bottom half. There is nothing wrong with having hips ladies! Embrace it this NYE by purchasing a skirt has sparkle detail and pairing it with a basic top. This will not only draw attention to sexy curves, but also create the look of a smaller waist.

3) Rectangle – This is a woman where her shoulders, waist, bust and hips are around the same size. A woman with this body type can virtually get away with anything. Though, I do suggest creating the illusion of curves. In order to do this, you should buy a piece that will cinch the waistline. You can do this with a belt or peplum dress or top.

4) Inverted triangle – This body type is very similar to the apple shape, except instead of a subtle difference in your hips, they are significantly smaller than your shoulders. For women with this type, you absolutely do NOT want to put any focus on your shoulders. The last thing you want is to have the appearance of “man shoulders.” I would by a dress that flows outward on the bottom with sequin or glitter detail.

5) Hourglass – This is every woman’s dream. This woman embodies the perfect balance of bust and hips while having a small waist. Talk about having it made! I suggest picking a dress that is more form fitting to show off that awesome body. Work it girl!

Whether you are rectangle like me or fabulously hourglass, pick a sparkly dress right for your body and go into 2014 with a BANG! Good luck & happy hunting ladies!

I would like to extend a special thank you to my idol, Chelsea Krost, for featuring this post on her blog. To check it out, go to www.chelseakrost.com.

fashion friday: PALE NAILS!

“Fashion is all about eventually becoming naked” — Rene Konig

When it comes to fashion, Spring 2013 is saying that nails are our best accessory! I can absolutely adore a woman’s outfit, but if their nails look worn & shabby, I’m turned off. Nails are the fun & versatile part of your outfit. With today’s advances in nail design, you can do practically anything!

TRENDING RIGHT NOW: the ever-so-subtle PALE NAILS! This is a minimalist trend that is gaining lots of momentum.

Pale nails have been seen on the hands of models for known designers such as Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, and even Valentino. This look is extremely easy to achieve & one of my personal faves! I love the look probably too much. Especially since I own close to 15 different shades. Woopsy!!

Here are some colors that you can find me wearing:

• “bond with whomever” — posh lilac — Essie

• “cocktail bling” — a precious pale gray — Essie

• “pink-a-doodle” — classic light pink — OPI

• “fiver” — mint green creme — Butter London

• “jasper” — opaque bright pastel yellow — Butter London

Add a little class & chic to your day wear & GO NUDE . . . it’s completely acceptable these days!