Birthday Haulin'

Helllooooo everyone!! I'm home from ALASAAAAKA. :) I gave myself a few days before I came back to blogging because I was seriously so exhausted. I wanted to blog so badly while I was on vacation, but I did not have any wi fi like at all. Awful. But I'm home and there will be more posts about the trip to follow in the coming days, I can promise you that. I wanted to get back into blogging by sharing what I got for my birthday after receiving a question in my ask box on tumblr about it.

I'm absolutely in love with my delicate Tiffany Elsa Peretti Color By the Yard Necklace with the small pink sapphire stone from my mom. It's so very me. I also adore the Tiffany Twist Bow Ring that is a perfect match to my Twist Bow Pendant that is my staple. Well done, Fancy Pants. 

If you've read my blog, you know I've been lusting after an iPad. I received mine with the MARC by Marc Jacobs "Dreamy" case from my Godmother. My grandpa bought me a new camera after a lot of debate as to which one, I decided on the Nikon Coolpix S6200 16 Megapixel in Red. It's an amazing camera and you'll see how crisp these pictures are in my future posts especially the ones from the trip. (10x zoom makes capturing bald eagles so easy!) With birthday money from Fancy Pants' family, I finally gave in to buying Nike running shoes: Nike Free Run+3 in Magenta/Silver. I'm obsessed. They're so light and comfy. 

Makeup. Beauty Products. Skin care. Easiest gifts for me ever. haha. My mom and brother both got me OPI polishes. My mom got me the New York City Ballet OPI Minis and let me tell you these colors are so soft and beautiful. I wore Care to Danse? every day of my vacation and received so many compliments. Grimsby, my brother, (no his name isn't Grimsby for real haha) got me OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls from the Spiderman collection because he knew I was dying for opaque white nail polish! I also received MAC Hey Sailor! Highlight Powder in Crew which is seriously perfect. It's a great pinky summer highlighter which unfortunately is sold out on MAC's website, but if you're looking for it check your local counter or store! The last three beauty products were Sephora must haves in my eyes: NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder, Urban Decay De-Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray, and a Clarisonic Acne Replacement Brush Head.

I'm very grateful for all of the wonderfully thoughtful gifts I received for my 21st birthday. It's been a wonderful past few weeks and I can't say enough good things about the events and time spent with great people. You'll see tomorrow about all the great time spent for my birthday and in Seattle. 

xx - Dan

#PackingProblems: Formal Cruise Nights

Okay, let me be honest here. One of my absolute favorite parts of going on a cruise is having an excuse to get dressed up. My extremely boring life does not give me many opportunities to put on a cute cocktail dress and pumps and go out. The most dressed up I ever get is a LBD and my black blazer for work...not too exciting. I wasn't planning on doing this post, but after someone asked me on tumblr what I'm bringing. I decided, what the heck. 

If you read my #PackingProblems: Clothing List, you'll know I decided on two fancier dresses for the two formal dinner nights. But after a quick closet scan a few days ago I realized that I purchased a fairly pricey floor length black dress in hopes of attending a Christmas party in December and knew that it also had to make the trip. (This is why I have packing problems.) 

Typically the dress code for the elegant nights is a cocktail dress or nice skirt and blouse, basically not your everyday dining wear. No jeans, leggings, etc. Some cruises let you get away with that, but I just enjoy the whole aspect of getting all dolled up and fancified. I'd stick with blacks and solid colors because they absolutely make accessorizing that much easier. Dressing for the formal nights doesn't need to be an extravagant expense because usually you'll have something in your closet especially if you're in a sorority where date parties and socials are frequent. If you find yourself craving a new dress or two, head to Forever21 or H&M for an inexpensive option. These places can be hit or miss, but just scour the racks. I found that first dress by accident and it fits wonderfully and will be worn many more times for sure. 

I've broken each of my three dresses down into the dress, shoes, and added purse. Please excuse my super awkward mirror pictures and my messy bun. 

Outfit #1: Black & White BodyCon Dress

Dress- Forever21

Shoes- Steve Madden

Clutch- Charming Charlie

Outfit #2: Little Red Dress aka My Birthday Dress

Dress- Rachel Rachel Roy

Shoes- Steve Madden

Glitter Crossbody- Forever21

Outfit #3: Floor Length Black Dress

Dress- Express

Shoes- Enzo Angiolini

I hope this was super helpful if you're setting sail on a cruise soon and looking for formal night ideas. If you haven't checked out my previous #PackingProblems posts, check them out below!

#PackingProblems- Intro | Clothing | Shoes | Formal Nights | Makeup

xx - Dan

#PackingProblems: Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

I really don't consider myself a huge shoe girl, but looking at this picture, I may actually be a teensy bit of a shoe girl. Let me remind you that my trip to Seattle/Alaska is only 9 days, yet here are the shoes I'm packing. 8 pairs. I'm justifying this because I like to have options. While I may not have over packed my clothes, I definitely am overpacking my shoes. Sorry I'm not sorry.

(From left to right)

1. Flip Flops: Women's Mossimo Lucita Gemmed Flip Flop in Rose Gold- Perfect for throwing in your carry on in case by some chance your checked bag with all the rest of your shoes gets lost, hanging out by the pool/jacuzzi, going to the spa. So many options
2. Sneakers: Converse Chuck Taylor Low Sneaker in Red- Great casual option for walking around all day, excursions, and it won't matter if they get dirty. 
3. Sperry Top Siders: Sperry Bluefish 2-Eye Boat Shoe- Boat shoes because you're on a boat, duh. But seriously, these are the comfy classically stylish option for walking around and doing touristy things. Perfect day time cruise option.  
4. Rain Boots: Sperry Top Sider Women's Pelican Tall Rain Boot- Because it will be rainy, what better thing to bring than bright rain boots. Comfy, warm, and fun for any outdoor activities such as whale watching or hiking (maybe? haha)
5. Slouchy Riding Boots: The most versatile cold weather shoe I'm packing. These are great to dress up or dress down. They go with everything from dresses to skinny jeans. I'm also wearing them through the airport. 
6. Neutral Ballet Flats: Steve Madden Kadiee in Blush- I love that these are also versatile for daytime and night time. The color is great because it's neutral and goes with so many outfits.
7. Fun Pumps: Steve Madden Dejavu Pump in Gold Glitter- While these aren't practical in the slightest, they're making the trip because they're the shoes that I've been planning to wear with my birthday dress since like forever. These will also be nice to wear on the formal nights on the cruise. 
8. Neutral Wedges: Steve Madden Pammyy Wedges in Black Suede- Wedges are the easier alternative to pumps, but still look dressy for formal nights or going to the clubs at night. I love the black suede because they go with everything. 

I love that all of these shoes offer versatility with wear. I enjoy having options to go with any outfit because I feel like shoes complete any look. Could I survive with less? Yes, of course. If I had to I would remove the Sperrys and the glitter pumps. Shoes take up less room than clothes when the pairs are separated in your suitcase, so definitely consider that. If you missed any of the previous posts, check them out below!!

#PackingProblems- Intro | Clothing | Shoes | Cruise Formal Nights | Makeup

xx - Dan 

Doll House Room Decor: Sneak Peek

EEEEEPS! This is so so so exciting for me, even though it is only a sneak peek. Moving was a nightmare, but falling asleep in this room the past few nights made it well worth it. All of the planning definitely did not go to waste. There's a lot of details that still aren't all there yet, but what's included below is already exactly what I wanted. If you want to see the basic furniture items in my room, check out my haul post.

This is the mirrored chest that is currently holding my TV (until it's mounted on the wall). It's smaller, but very cute and holds exactly what I need: scarves, belts, jewelry. I also found that two tiered jewelry catch all at Target on sale for $10 and it fits perfectly with the aesthetic of the room. 

Oh, this chair is one of my favorite pieces. It's not a stark white, which I actually like. It contrasts really well next to my bed, plus it's the best place to read or tumblr next to the window. I plan on getting a white or turquoise pillow soon, but I'm using my pillow from my last bedroom for now. 

AHHHHHH! Here it is, the very focal point of the entire room. My bed complete with tufted headboard and ruffled bedding/shams. It's obviously the part I've fallen the most in love with. It's everything I hoped it would be and it's like sleeping on a bunch of clouds (feeling and looks wise). I also have that clear ball lamp with a mirrored base on top of my mirrored nightstand.

My walk in closet is seriously life changing. I've always just had a reach in closet and never knew how completely different it would be. I have my clothes organized by dresses, long sleeves, sweaters, jackets, jerseys, tanks, tshirts, jeans, shorts, etc. I also have some of my shoes displayed and the rest hanging in an organizer. I love walking in and feeling like Cher Horowitz or Hannah Montana while picking out what to wear. (Yeah, I just said that...) But seriously, it rocks. 

Stay tuned for a full tour of the room when I feel like it's perfect, so don't hold your breath for it to come soon. haha. I hope you're all having a magnificent week. :)

xx - Dan

The Shops at Target

For some odd reason my body woke me up at 5:30 on Monday morning. Of course I could not fall back to sleep, so I began to do a little online "browsing." I headed over to Target.com to find this:

Naturally, I clicked through to find some of the cutest items I've seen Target ever carry to be honest. It's a very cool concept actually as proven by the commercial. There are a total of five boutiques from around the country featured in this new collection:

Cos Bar - a cutting edge beauty palace from Aspen, CO

Polka Dog Bakery - a variety of doggie treats and accessories from Boston, MA

Privet House - chic and charming home decor finds from Warren, CT

The Candy Store - rare and unique sugary sweets from San Francisco, CA

The Webster - wonderful, bright and colorful clothing/accessories from Miami, FL

While I think that checking out each boutique on their own is an absolute must, I did pick out a few (hundred) of my favorite finds that I may just be ordering or picking up from my local Target. 

Cos Bar Lime Green Nail Polish

 Cos Bar Blueberry Cleansing Towelettes

 Polka Dog Bakery Blue Bowl

Privet House Set of 4 Woven Tumblers

 The Candy Store Razzles

 Cos Bar Green Leopard Tweezers

 Candy Shop Swirl Lollipop

 The Webster Cap Toe Flat in Green/Blue

The Webster Cap Toe Wedge Pump in Natural/Tan

 The Webster Sheath Dress in Deco Print Navy/Melon

 The Webster Jacquard Tunic in Wallpaper Print Cream

 The Webster Beads & Casting Necklace in Silver

The Webster Flamingo Ruffle Scarf 

Privet House Wire Two Tier Tray

xx - Dan

Friday Favorites

I've been neglecting my monthly favorites, oh well. Life happens. I'm going to "TRY" to do a weekly favorites gather up post like this one. Life has been extremely crazy for me and I'm working on a few new time consuming projects all while preparing for a move to a brand new house. It's a lot. I'm overwhelmed to say the least, but I'm excited for it all. Share with me your favorites in the comments down below!!

(From left to right)

• Maybelline Illegal Lengths Mascara- One of my absolute new favorite mascaras of all time, it adds fibers to the ends of your lashes to make them look seriously fake and long and fabulous!
• Jewelmint Starbound Ring- I love this rose gold unique ring. It's a definite conversation starter and adds an interesting touch to any outfit. Picture of me wearing it here. (Coupon code for Jewelmint 65% off - JM11)
• Mix No.6 Chanel Floral Wedge Sandal- These were my Easter wedges of choice and they were so comfy and easy to walk in. I got a lot of compliments on them and they're def going to be a staple spring shoe for me. 
• Easter Sunday- I had a wonderful Easter spent at church, then having an amazing time with my family eating and playing baseball (in a dress mind you!). It was relaxing and great. 
• Lush Cupcake Fresh Face Mask- This mask is perfect for those with acne prone/oily skin. It smells like heaven, literally like chocolate cupcake batter and draws out any impurities while softening your skin like crazy! It's a must purchase in the Lush store (not sold online)!
• NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny- I've never been into matte bronzers until I found this one. It's soft, smooth, and is very natural (not orange at all!!). It's also only $3!!! AWESOME!

xx - Dan