Goodbye 2011!

Hey Loves, 

Only about an hour left until 2012 here on the West coast! I can't even begin to explain what a crazy year I have had. This year I turned twenty-one and it was the beginning of my adulthood. There were so many ups and downs, but I'll tell you something, each of those moments gave me something: a great story. What I learned this year is that life is all about chances. There is a reason for everything; why you took that step when you did, why you met those people, and why you stopped talking to others. Life is all about what you make of it. Every decision was steered by a thought that can never be changed, only questioned. No one should look back at 2011 and regret anything, because it made you the person that you are. 

Like I said, this year I grew up. I realized that life is precious and that it shouldn't be taken for granted. I have family and friends that I grew to love and realized that they are the ones that are going to be there through thick and thin. I learned that people I love will make mistakes and that there is always room for forgiveness and holding grudges is just a complete waste of time. I also learned the importance of always having a positive attitude, and not dwelling on the past.

For the first time this year, I started putting my beliefs and morals into perspective and started putting my happiness first. That began my road to complete bliss and salvation. Lastly, I started The Lovely Memoir this year and I am so happy that I did. This was my escape and my getaway. I'm so happy to share my insights on fashion, makeup, and music with you guys and I've been especially happy with all of the positive feedback. The emails, the comments, etc. thank you all so much. You've all kept me going. 

For 2012, I hope to continue living my life in the most happiest and most positive way with the ones that I love and the ones that I will meet in the future. Happy New Years everybody!

Love,

Lisa

Crepe Heaven

Crepes are delicious, but they taste even better when shared with the people that I love. We went on one random Thursday afternoon last week. This place has an amazing selection of crepes, sandwiches, and salads and their portions are ginormous. I love random outings, which reminds me that next week I'll be going on a road trip that I'm so excited for! I'll be sure to blog about it when I come back.

Love,

Lisa

Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, here is my outfit for Christmas night!

Love,

Lisa

My Favorite Finds: 2011

This year is quickly coming to end! I don't know about you guys, but I had a wonderful 2011. Like every other year, I tried out new products that ended up becoming my all time favorites. I wanted to compile a little list of all of my favorite beauty products, clothes, etc. that I bought this year and now can't live without. This definitely will be helpful to many of you, because I can guarantee that these products are awesome!

1. The Naked Palette. 

I'm sure most of you have this already, but from the first day I ordered this palette, it has been the one palette that I have used all year. I kind of feel bad because I've neglected all of my other eye shadow palettes, but it clearly shows how good this palette is! You won't regret trying this one, and now you have two to choose from. Although, the Naked Palette II is a little hard to find at the moment. 

2. Smashbox's Eyeshadow in Vanilla. 

This color became my staple highlighting color for the eyebrow bone and inner eye area. Its this perfect matte off white shade that I couldn't find a duplicate for. The color lasts and its so pigmented. 

3. Shoes from Forever 21. 

I wasn't so sure about the quality of the shoes at F21 because I always stuck to Steve Maddens and Aerosoles, but this year I gave it a chance and was very pleasantly surprised. I bought a pair of suede oxfords, brown combat boots, wedges, and leather boots and they have all been great. They're all really good quality, so I am pleasantly surprised. So if you are on a budget, but want stylish footwear, don't be afraid to check out Forever 21's shoe section. 

http://www.forever21.com/

4. Jewelry from random places.  

I can't believe all of the the vintage jewelry that I have found while thrifting/vendors/etc. My collection is growing bigger and bigger. My most favorite are the abundant amount of earrings that I find. I would have NEVER been able to find them in retail stores, so they are my little unique treasures. Visit your local flea market/thrift stores, it may take a little while to find the things you like, but trust me, it's worth your time!

Here's my link to my collection: http://thelovelymemoir.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-vintage-jewelery-collection.html

5. Heavenly Body Mist from Victoria's Secret. 

I love beauty products from Victoria Secret almost as much as their cute clothing and lingerie. This year I bought their lotions and body mists and fell in love with the Heavenly scent. It smells like a very feminine baby powder. I can't get enough of it. If I'm not wearing my Juicy Couture perfume, then I'm wearing this. Added plus, a small bottle is only $15 so it won't break your budget. 

Also, I did an interview with one of my fellow fashion bloggers, Pippa Holliday! Check out the interview and her blog here:  http://pippaholliday.blogspot.com/2011/12/lisa-and-lovely-memoir.html 

Love,

Lisa

The [Faux] Fur Trend

Fur has been a staple in fashion history.  (Faux fur that is-say no to animal cruelty!) It has come and gone with the years, and this year it is definitely back in action. I have been seeing more and more fur collars, fur hats, and fur jackets everywhere! In my opinion, I find them to be best worn in moderation, so sticking with one key fur piece at a time is the best way to go about it. My favorite way to wear fur at the moment is by wearing a trench coat, pea coat, or a cape and pairing it with a fur collar. My fashion taste is very simplistic, therefore I like to just add a small hint of things to clothes that  I already like to regularly wear.

Here are some amazing ways I have seen them being worn:

This is a small collage that I found from Aritzia that shows the fur collar that I mentioned earlier. Ashley Olsen pairs it with a long trench coat and dress pants. I think this is the perfect way to incorporate fur, especially if you're new to the trend and want to try it out. 

I am also in love with this fur vest. This specific one is from Urban Outfitters and it is by Ecote. I think this fur vest spices up any plain outfit! Imagine: Most of our plain outfits consist of a shirt, leggings, or jeans. Now imagine wearing this fur vest on top of that. Instant chic? YES. This may take a little more boldness to pull off, but I think every person should step out of their comfort zone sometimes and try something they would never think about wearing. 

Lastly, I have a picture of Kasia Gorol from Lookbook.nu. She is wearing this amazing fur coat that she bought second hand! Can you believe her luck? This coat looks gorgeous on her. 

So that concludes my take on the revived fur trend. I think it's great that I'm seeing it a lot more often now. Remembering our fashion icons Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, and Audrey Hepburn wearing amazing fur pieces makes me happy to see that this generation sees the beauty as well. 

Love, 

Lisa

Freedom Friday!

LOOKBOOK: Hype me :)


Today felt like a "jean jacket and sweater" type of day. I actually found this vintage Levi Strauss jacket while thrifting. It fits perfectly and is perfect for lazy days..or any day! I'm so excited right now because Kevin went ahead of me and bought the Adele: Live at The Royal Albert Hall DVD! I have been a huge fan of Adele for the past two years, and I can't wait to watch this performance!

Of course like most of  you, I went Black Friday shopping last week, but actually didn't find much clothing wise. I've learned my lesson though...I'm probably never going to go to Urban Outfitters during Black Friday ever again. Girls were pulling and shoving each other left and right to get to the Extra 50% off sales racks. Way TOO crazy for me. I ended up just standing on the sidelines watching the madness unfold. I totally gave up at that point. I'd rather just shop on a regular day at my own pace, that way I won't just buy things for the heck of it. After that, I also went to H&M and snagged some awesome knitted cardis. They weren't that much of a deal (at $15 a piece), but I've been dying to get some and they were still half off nonetheless. And that pretty much ends my Black Friday haul. Kevin and my brother snagged some awesome deals on tvs and vacuum cleaners though! So not all was lost. :)

Happy Friday.

Love,
Lisa