Weekly Want #9

You see that beautiful suede clunker up there? I found a pair of these while shopping at Urban Outfitters today, and yes I instantly loved how they looked on and I ended up impulsively buying them. But hold on, I had good reason, it was on sale for 20 dollars (originally 69 dollars)! 

I'm about 5'1 and these make me around 5'5, which is pretty awesome. Although they are high, they are very comfortable because of the platform in the front. It makes me feel like I'm actually wearing a very short heel. I've actually been really obsessed with platforms after I bought a pair of platform heels back in December. In my opinion, they really are the most comfortable type of heels for me. The ones that I bought were actually black, but unfortunately it looks like they are out of black right now and they don't appear to be on sale (online) either. That's why I looked around and found an alternative for any of  you guys that are interested...

These are by Cooperative and they are actually on sale on UO's website. They look almost identical except for the fact that the front doesn't have that triangular cut out. Nonetheless, I think they are very cute and I probably would have bought these if I saw them. Keep in mind the size though, I had to buy one size up because they run really small. 

That is all I have for this week's Weekly Wants. I have some packages coming in the mail that I will be doing reviews on, so I am extremely excited to show you guys in the next coming weeks. But in the meantime, if you're from the US, enter my first giveaway here: http://thelovelymemoir.blogspot.com/2012/03/giveaway-time.html! 

You have 15 more days to join in on all of the fun! 

I wanted to thank all of the ones who have entered and thanks to the ones that even shared it on their blog! I especially loved and appreciated all of your feedback on my blog. To put it simply, you guys are really helping me improve what I'm doing. All of your kindness really motivates me and keeps me inspired ♥

Love, 

Lisa

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Wow, I can't even begin to tell you how great this feels to have over 100 followers! Thank you so much for all of your support. I started this blog back in July 2011, and I really didn't know what to expect out of it. I just loved blogging for the sake of blogging. Now it is March and I have now met a circle of amazing blogger friends. I love talking to you guys and meeting people with the same interests as myself. So as a thank you, I'm hosting a giveaway! This is my first giveaway so I am really excited about this! I recently went shopping and bought a couple of items, one winner will receive all of these items!

THE PRIZE

1. A pair of H&M Divided Leopard Print Sunnies

2. A Forever 21 Gold necklace with crystals

3. A pair of handmade feather earrings made by me :)

THE RULES

1. Be a resident of the United States

2. Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect (Mandatory) and Bloglovin (If you have one)

3. Comment this post with your EMAIL ADDRESS and answering the following question: What is your favorite part about my blog? (OOTD, Weekly Wants, DIYs, Food, etc.) This will not only help me improve my blog, but it will also let me know what my readers like most. So thank you for the feedback!

       ***Please make sure you followed Steps 1, 2, and 3 for your entry to be counted.***           


4. Want an extra entry? Make a post about this giveaway on your page! (Provide me a link of the post along with your comment as proof)

How will I select the winner?

I'm going to be doing it the old fashion way, by drawing names out of a hat! I will write down every blogger's name that entered on strips of paper (If you did step 4, then you get two strips) and I will be doing the drawing. I will show you guys the drawing process in another post.

How long will this giveaway last?

MARCH 25, 2012- APRIL 15, 2012

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYBODY!

Love,

Lisa

Studded Collars

I made my first DIY studded collar! If you guys would like to learn how to make one too, then keep scrolling down and I'll teach you how! 

These are studs I picked off of a very old studded belt that I was obsessed with wearing back in middle school. I had a hard time finding them in any arts and craft store, so I just decided to go this route instead. 

Since I don't know what size they are, I decided to take a photo of it next to my lens cap for comparison. They are pretty small compared to the ones I have seen elsewhere. 

My mom was so nice, she gave me one of her old Ann Taylor Button ups and it had a pretty sturdy collar so I cut it off with a pair of scissors. I just cutted it off using the original sewn line of the shirt as a guide. Yay for no measurements! 

After cutting it, place the studs where you would like. I didn't have enough to stud the entire collar so I decided to just stud the tips. I'm going to save the rest to stud my denim jacket or a black collar. 

And there you have it! A studded collar. It was so easy, but bending the studs into place can get a bit tricky, so be careful not to poke yourselves with the sharp edges. I used my nail to bend it back, but I've heard a lot of people used butter knives to do it. I think it's just your preference and how hard your studs are. Mines were pretty old, so I guess they bent easily. 

Hope you guys liked this simple DIY project! 

Love,

Lisa

Weekly Wants #8

Earth Tone Rings by thelovelymemoir featuring floral rings

Forever 21 beaded jewelry, $5.80
Forever 21 floral ring, $5.80
Forever 21 jewelry, $5.80
Forever 21 beaded jewelry, $4.80


I've been on Spring Break, so I've just been relaxing and clearing my head of all of the stress that life brings all of us. For this week's Weekly Wants, I wanted to show you guys these very affordable statement rings. I've always been a huge fan of all of those beautiful stone rings that I see the celebrities wear, even though I know I wouldn't be able to afford them (Maybe I would be able to buy one or two, but definitely VERY limited). 


I'm glad Forever 21 is able to recreate those rings at an extremely affordable price. They may not be the real thing, but hey, they're close enough. These rings that I'm showcasing have this really beautiful brassy, earthy, intricate look to them. I love earth tones, and these rings make a statement without stealing all of the attention. I can see these incorporated into a bohemian look (think: maxi skirt, tank top, floppy hat, sandals, and a whole lot of jewelry) or even any casual outfit. Even though I regularly buy my rings from Forever 21, I'm still surprised sometimes that they only cost $4-$6 dollars. I've been eyeing their rings lately, so I definitely had to share my finds with you guys! 


If any of you are on Spring break from school, hope you're enjoying every minute of it! :)


Love,
Lisa

My Pearl Collar

Pearl Collar//c/o OASAP, Black Top//Vintage, Loafers//SAS, Gold Watch//Michael Kors

Hey everybody,

Spring Break is finally here, and it feels great! For this outfit, I chose to focus on this pearl bib collar! I'm sure a lot of you guys will recognize it as one of the items from My Weekly Want #6 .It's so pretty and delicate that I wanted to pair it with a simple silk black shirt, jeans, gold watch, and loafers. I kept everything very simple because this collar was so pretty, I didn't want to overcrowd the outfit. This collar was a recent order from OASAP! Although I don't see this exact necklace on the site anymore, I did notice that they now added more of these kinds of bib collars, which are very pretty as well! I hope you all have a nice break, and hopefully it's not raining where you are. It's been raining cats and dogs over here in Cali.

Love,
Lisa

UPDATE*** I was recently on the site and saw that the pearl collar I am wearing is back in stock!
 Here it is:http://www.oasap.com/necklaces/4065-pearl-detail-bib-collar.html

Safety Pin Necklace

First you need a pack of safety pins, and a necklace that you are willing to work with. Mines was a random brass colored one that I lost the pendant to. If you have a necklace that actually matches the pins, then that would be even better. 

Did I forget to mention how easy this project is? All you have to do now is string the safety pins onto the necklace. The top of the safety pin has a very convenient hole, so just string your necklace through that. 

Put as many safety pins as you desire. I chose to put quite a few...about 20.  

This is where you can get creative. So I took a couple of pearls and strung them on to three different safety pins. I thought it gave it a little sweeter, softer look. You can add whatever you would like at this point. Colored beads, string, crystals, whatever your heart desires. 

I bet you're wondering, Lisa, why do you have so many safety pins? Well, last semester I bought a pack of safety pins because I was making ribbon pins for a group presentation. I ended up only using 3 pins, so I was left with a whole pack of safety pins. I knew this would happen, so I decided to buy it in gold, because I primarily wear gold brassy jewelry. If you're more of a silver girl, buy the silver ones. A pack of 100 safety pins can range around $1-$3 dollars, so this is definitely an affordable DIY project that takes seconds to make!

I hope you guys have fun making this :)

Love,

Lisa

A Spontaneous Date

Cardigan, Top, Leggings//Forever 21, Loafers//SAS, Necklace//H&M, Caramel Macchiatto//Starbucks

This is how I spent part of my weekend. Kevin was in a spontaneous mood so we ended up exploring the city. We spent a lot of time walking around, trying some new places to eat, and shopping. We even went on a trolley ride for the first time! We spent the entire day not knowing what we were actually going to do next. It was pretty awesome and actually really out of my comfort zone! I'm more of the planner in our relationship haha.

On to my outfit, I apologize that I don't have a full shot of the outfit that I wore, the photos were too overexposed because the sun was so bright that day. I do have a few close ups though! I wore my cream colored cardigan, orange chiffon button up,  my comfy loafers, and topped it off with a gold statement collar necklace I got from H&M.

I hope you guys had a great weekend!

I can't believe this is my 100th post! Thank you guys for all of the support!

Love,
Lisa

Paint Your Face

I'm a girl who absolutely adores makeup. When new products come out, I like to be one of the first people to research and go try it out at my local beauty store. I love makeup products, but what I really think makes the products are: the brushes.

My most favorite brand of brushes has to be MAC. Although their brushes are and always will be some of the best brushes I have ever used, with my college student budget, I really couldn't afford to buy all of the other ones I wanted. One of the things that I began to do was look into buying paint brushes to use as makeup brushes.

About a year ago, I went to Michael's Arts and Crafts store and found a brand of brushes called Simply Simmons (retails for $3-$5). Their paint brushes make fantastic eye makeup brushes. I have been using them for over a year now and I'm a little shocked myself to tell you that I am still using those same brushes! They don't shed, they don't leak dyes, and most importantly, they are really soft. The only bad thing is that all of the labels on the brushes scratch off very easily (hence, my really sad looking brushes up there), but other than that, I think they're great. And if you're not from the States, just head into your local arts and crafts store, because I'm sure you'll be able to find a huge selection of paint brushes that you can use as makeup brushes. Just make sure that the bristles are soft by testing it on the back of your hand. I'm pretty sure that the majority of paintbrushes can be used, since applying makeup to your face is pretty much like painting a beautiful canvas.


Love,
Lisa

P.S. This post is dedicated to Kevin, who told me I should share this with you guys! Thanks for the great idea love.

Weekly Wants #7

1. Peter Pan Blouse 

2. White Blouse 

3. Peach Blouse 

4. Twisted Collar 

5. Collar/Bib 

Guess what guys? I made a Polyvore, so if any of you have one, be sure to follow me! Thanks to my friend Char for teaching me how to use it yesterday! It's a fun website, and I was on it late last night playing around and creating "sets". I think using Polyvore will definitely benefit my blog. I want to create my "Weekly Wants" posts using Polyvore, unless you guys like the old way better? Be sure to let me know!

This is what I ordered from Forever 21 with an addition of that middle peach blouse. Forever 21 has really been stepping up their game! They offer so many different styles of chiffon tops now, I'm actually a little overwhelmed because I want so many of them. Their choker/collars are also really cute. I especially liked that twisted spiral collar on the left. It's simple enough to add to any outfit. I really just needed some more silver jewelry, because I tend to always buy gold.

Alright loves, hope the rest of your week goes well! I will have a makeup related post coming up this weekend, so be sure to come back in a couple of days and see! It will save some of you A LOT of money.

Love,
Lisa

Inspirations: Collars, Studs, and Everything in Between

These are just random photos I found on Tumblr. I always find a lot of interesting things on that website. But most importantly, I give that website a lot of credit for a lot of my inspiration. It's just an amazing abundance of collective thoughts from all over the world. I feel like I learn so much about people just from being on Tumblr and Blogger. By looking at the photos I just posted, can you see a theme developing? I have this ongoing obsession with anything black and gold....oh yeah and collars. I guess I always have loved collars, but now I'm seeing a whole lot of creative things people are doing with them. People are now adding gold, studs, beads, lace, and a whole multitude of other things to their collars. It makes me want to drive to my nearest craft store, grab everything in their entire embellishment aisle and start getting my creative juices flowing. Ok, I'm over exagerating, but I do want to see what I can whip up with some supplies in hand. The first picture up there is what started it all. I found that photo about a week ago and I loved how gorgeous that simple gold piece made that black shirt just pop! And the other pictures, they're just awesome. Ranging from Alexander Wang's adorable niece to YSL to leopard loafers. I think I'm just in the mood to go shopping.  

Love,

Lisa

A Stroll On The Pier

Cardigan//Old Navy, Top//J. Jill, Jeans and Oxfords//Forever21, Watch//Anne Klein, Backpack//Wilson (Thrifted)

Happy Saturday! 

Yesterday I went on a date with Kevin and we decided to stop by the pier and take some photos to test out our new camera! It was a really bright and sunny day, just the way I like it. Lately the weather has been so sporadic in California, raining one day, then sunny the next. This is why I never take a sunny day for granted. When I do see the sun peak out, that's my cue to just go outside and enjoy the day. I'm wearing a casual everyday spring outfit. I really love this top I just bought, it's very versatile. I just paired it with a knitted cardi, my vintage belt, and some oxfords. 

Remember a couple of weeks ago I said I needed a new backpack/book bag? Just when I was about to order the one I saw on Urban Outfitters website, Kevin found this one at the flea market for five dollars! *happy dance* I really couldn't believe it. Actually, as I recall, I gave Kevin a huge bear hug after he found it for me. Yeah, I get overly excited sometimes. It's a vintage bag from Wilson Leather and it's still in great condition. Thank goodness, no more aching left shoulder for me. 

I just ordered a bunch of stuff from Forever 21 yesterday, so some time next week I will be doing a haul post on what I bought. It's been awhile since I've done one of those. I haven't been shopping at retail stores that much lately, just walking around flea markets every weekend to hopefully find my next treasured item, whether it be a vintage lens, clothing, painting, jewelry. You never know what you'll find there! Other than that, I will be hitting the books for the rest of this week. Don't you just hate it when you think you have some time to relax, then that's when your professor decides to pile on even more assignments? The life of a college student. 

Have a great weekend everybody!

Love, 

Lisa   

Weekly Wants #6

1. Red Snake Effect Briefcase- This briefcase is so chic. I love anything that is tailored and perfectly cut, so same goes for my bags. This briefcase is just so nice, I love the "snake skin" look and the rectangular buckle in the front adds to the rectangular shape of the bag.

2. Spiked Red Flats- These are so fierce and daring! I've seen some more expensive versions of these shoes, so I think these are a deal. I love the studs and how it looks with the red. Lastly, if you're ever in a dark alley, I'm sure you can find some way to defend yourself with these shoes!

3. Elegant Gold Necklace- This necklace looks like a perfect addition to a very classy night out. It's bold and it'll definitely make a statement. I love wearing this type of jewelry because it pulls an outfit together. 

4. Pearl Detailed Bib Collar- I'm a huge fan of collars and when I saw this piece, I fell in love. This is so gorgeous in every way. I can see how it would really be a finishing touch to a little black dress (LBD) or a simple blouse. I found this to be one of the best necklaces on their website. 

Hi everybody! 

I have great news today, I am now one of the fashion bloggers for OASAP! Their products look fantastic and I wanted to share some of my favorite pieces with you all! You know I wouldn't share something with you guys unless I thought it was worth it, and these products right here look amazing. Plus,  if you sign up with a new account, you'll receive 25% off your order right now! This is on top of Free World Wide Shipping! Amazing? I think so. I hope you guys like the products that I chose for this weeks edition of my My Weekly Wants! Please let me know what you guys think! 

Love,

Lisa