RECAP

This was my first week of my Sophomore year. It has been crazy, and I am definitely loving being an upperclassmen. Also the freshmen are seriously irritating me, which is funny because I was one just last week. My classes seem interesting and work-heavy. Which I suppose is better than boring and easy?

YOUTUBE : I am already falling behind on my youtube-watching. It is sort of depressing. But since this was one of my all-time favorite Jenna Marbles videos, and she made a second one, I was pretty excited.



TELEVISION : Pretty Little Liars! The season finale, I CAN'T! Go watch it, I don't want to spoil it like everyone did for me.

MUSIC : Not very new, but great song.


FOOD : Ah. All of the new food options on campus. I love it. I caved and bought a meal plan, so I have been taking advantage of my "free" food and eating salads and wraps at our new Freshii restaurant.

ALL WHITE

With Labor Day coming up, you are probably thinking about the age-old fashion rule, no white after Labor Day. Well, obviously, this is just a silly rule. White is such a classic color, and can be paired with anything. It may even be more versatile than black? Maybe. Well I can tell you that I will be wearing a white look on Monday, and will keep wearing my white pieces all fall and winter.

Jeffrey Campbell Damsals | Topshop Bowler | ZeroUV Sunglasses

Nastygal Crochet Dress | Nastygal Minx Pump

Topshop Oversize Tee | Zara Blazer

Okay, so I will admit, the Nastygal dress isn't very wintery. I do think it is fun to sort of break the rules and wear a sundress with a leather jacket and cable knit scarf. Also I am dying over this bowler hat. I am way to obsessed with hats right now.

Phillip Lim for Target

Am I the only one impatiently awaiting the new Philip Lim for Target collection? First of all, how many of us are dying of Pashli's in the designer line? Sorry, I just don't have that kind of money to spare. However, this Target collection, completely within my reach. I love the designer collabs with Target (and H&M).

Also, the purses. 

I am so excited. 

Keep up to date on the new collection, and look at more amazing lookbook pictures here. Also mark your calendars for September 15th. 

SHOESDAY TUESDAY : Nastygal Shoe Cult

Obsessed. So basically Nastygal's new "Shoe Cult" collection describes my love of shoes perfectly, basically its a cult. Here are my favorite picks.

  

 

How amazing are these? There has also been some promo images released of some amazing shoes that aren't available. 

MAKEUP MONDAY : American Apparel Neon Pink Swatch

The last of my American Apparel Neon nail polishes, the pink one. One of my roommates is obsessed with the color pink, so I feel a little overly girly and pink when I wear this color, but I do love it. I would say it is probably the least streaky, and most opaque out of all of them, but still very similar. This swatch has one thick coat on it. I will probably add another coat tomorrow, just to make it thicker, but this is good enough.

Buy Here

Also I like this view, so I think I am going to keep taking my nail polish swatches here. It's pretty accurate, although it is hard to show the vibrancy of the neon colors.

RECAP

This week has also been crazy! All of the moving-in process. I finally got my mattress, and we did this crazy metro trip to Ikea. Not an easy task. We are still waiting on the dining room set, and I am going to start crafting some artwork for our walls. Speaking of which, I also need to get some twine to make a picture wall in my room.

YOUTUBE : There has actually been a ton of hilarious videos this week, but this Miranda Sings collab had me dying with laughter.



MUSIC : Okay so this is not me bashing on Katy Perry, I actually love Roar, however I do think it is pretty much a rip-off of Sara Barellies Brave (which I also love). So I found this little mash-up (or really just playing them at the same time) and I love it.



FOOD : Can we just talk about how amazing Olive Garden's breadsticks are? I have spent way too much money on restaurants this week, and it needs to end.

LOOK FOR LESS : Alexander McQueen Skull Scarf

I would probably never spend $300 on a scarf, but if I did, the Alexander McQueen scarf would be mine. I love it in black, white, and grey. So to feed this love, I am planning on picking up a couple from eBay.

Alexander McQueen | eBay

Obviously it is not the same thing, look around on eBay, just type in "skull scarf" and hundreds will pop up, find the one that looks the best/closest to you. I personally will probably try to find one that bordered by smaller skulls and has varying sized skulls in the center (like the McQueen). 

INSPIRED : Spencer Hastings

Last but not least, Spencer. The preppy, proper, and always pulled-together girl in the bunch. The good thing about replicating Spencer's look is that you can buy key preppy essentials, and mix and match to always look classy and pretty. 

1. White and light blue button ups. She wears these constantly, under blazers, cardigans, sweaters, or by themselves. Invest in some nice ones, because they will get a lot of wear. 

2. Black and dark wash skinny jeans. You rarely see Spencer in anything other than a skinny pant, it is her go-to. So go get a few pairs and wear the hell out of them. 

3. Ballet flats. The simple, pretty-girl staple. 

4. Oxfords. This is very preppy of Spencer, this borrowed-from-the-boys look is surprisingly feminine in Spencer's wardrobe. 

5. Navy blazer. Whether you are strutting the school halls or going to an interview, a well-fitted navy blazer will get a lot of use. 

6. Fitted sweaters. Leave the baggy, bohemian sweaters for Californians, Spencer likes her sweaters nice and fitted. 

7. Trench coat. Leave the red one for A, grab yourself a classic tan trench. 

8. Girly dresses. Lots of dresses, usually with a nice high neckline. They look great under a blazer, or with a nice pair of tights. 

9. Simple, minimal jewelry. Some pearl studs? A nice silver necklace? Simple, classic pieces.

AE Shirt, J Crew Blazer, Urban Outfitters Purse

J Crew Shirt, J Crew Jeans, J Crew Pants, American Apparel Oxfords

I am not going to make separate posts, but as a little bonus, for Mona I would dress similar to Hanna, but with darker colors. For "A" I would dress similar to Hanna as well, but don't forget the trademark red trench coat. 

SHOESDAY TUESDAY : Dailylook Lucite Heel Platform Booties

The lucite heel and metallic trends are big right now, and I am a big fan of adding one key piece to your wardrobe to encompass trends. Shoes always are a win in my book, so these Dailylook platforms really stuck out at me. They have a similar shape to the Jeffrey Campbell Lita, I am sure not quite as comfortable. Also a slightly higher heel.

Purchase Here

What do you think of this trend? Of this heel? Yay or nay?

MAKEUP MONDAY : Top Five Lipstick Brands

Okay, so I did it again. I am totally losing track of time lately. I didn't even know the weekend was over, and it is Tuesday. I need school and work to start. Also, this post is kind of a cop-out, but here are my top five lipstick brands. I am a huge lipstick addict, so this was actually sort of difficult for me.

1. MAC amplified finish. I am separating the various MAC finishes, because in my eyes they are all completely different, and some not as good as others.
Top Picks: Girl About Town, Craving

2. Maybelline Colorsensational Vivids. These came out this year, and are absolutely fantastic. Easily rival MAC amplifieds.
Top Picks: Vivid Rose, Shocking Coral

3. Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter. These may not really be considered lipsticks, but I have so many so I had to include it. They are great for on-the-go application and are super moisturizing. But most have the color payoff of a lipstick.
Top Picks: Red Velvet, Wild Watermelon, Raspberry Pie

4. Rimmel by Kate Moss. These have great color pay-off, my only drawback is the scent, I am partial to either unscented or vanilla, and these have a almost chemically scent, but it fades almost instantly.
Top Picks: 01, 110

5. Benefit Benetint. Again, not really a lipstick, instead a lip stain, but I wear it several times a week, and I love it. Completely worth the money, and last forever.

RECAP

This week has been crazy! On Saturday I went on one last excursion with my Hawaii friends, probably for the last time, since my parents moved to NJ yesterday. On Saturday night I boarded my 9 hour plane back to DC. I arrived at 10:30 (east coast time) on Sunday, and I have been busy preparing our apartment and going shopping ever since. Picked up Kylie at DCA on Wednesday to join me in the apartment, and Kathleen is coming down to visit today. The trio will be reunited! Therefore, because of this busyness, I don't have a lot of favorites to show.

YOUTUBE: Two boys I have found in the last week, Connor Franta, and Troye Sivan. I honestly, have no idea how I didn't watch them before. Both absolutely gorgeous, adorable, and funny. Check them out!





Can I just keep them both as my pets? Please?

BLOG : This.

MUSIC : Iggy Azalea. She is just so fabulous, and her body is rocking. Bitch can rap.

SALE PICKS : PLNDR

Technically PLNDR isn't having a sale, they are just always on sale. But I have found myself checking the current sale prices more and more lately. Here are my top picks!

The Becka Skirt in Mirrored Island $24.99

The Spiked Bra in Silver $15.97

The Combat Baby Boot in Black Floral $39.99

The Caught Fire Cutout Buckled Flatform in Black $44.99

The Wild Cat Blouse in White $23.98

The Goucher Sunglasses in Black $9.99

The Salvita Bralette in Cornflower Blue $18.99

The Comic Book Leggings in White $24.99

The Vintage Americana Scarf $11.00

INSPIRED : Hanna Marin

My third girl in the Pretty Little Liars series, Hanna. She is definitely the most luxurious and girly of the four girls. Hanna also dresses in the most figure-flattering shapes out of all of them. This is probably because the storyline goes that she worked hard to get her shape, as she used to be much bigger. Therefore, she is probably trying to show it off.

1. Blazers. In every color, print, and style. Hanna loves blazers, and wears them with almost every outfit. 

2. Skirts. Hanna has long, tanned legs, why not show them off? 

3. Heels. The perfect thing to pair with those skirts, to make your legs seem even longer. Hanna is the girl that is always seen in heels, from chasing down A to strutting the halls. 

4. Girly blouses and dresses. Hit up Forever 21 for some Hanna inspired pieces, because Hanna loves her chiffon blouses and dresses, and Forever 21 is full of them. 

5. Bodycon dresses. Whenever Hanna has to get dressed up, you best believe she will pull out some bodycon dresses. Hanna has a great hourglass figure, and bodycon dresses really show it off. 

6. Skinny belts. Get a black one and wear it with everything, this will be a key accessory in dressing like Hanna, anything to give your outfit a little more shape. 

7. Statement jewelry. Leave the simple, understated pieces behind, Hanna likes big, chunky, statement necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. 

8. Pink nail polish. Lastly, for your nails, try a fuchsia, she likes her nails pink. 

F21 Heels | Zara Blazer | Ted Baker Dress | F21 Blouse

F21 Blouse | F21 Blouse | J Crew Belt | Kate Spade Skirt | Bebe Dress

Basically, now is the time to take out your girly clothes, and rock the Hanna look. She always looks polished, so make sure your hair is curled, nails are done, and makeup is perfect. Next up, Spencer. 

SHOESDAY TUESDAY : Forever 21 Heels

So is it just me, or has Forever 21 completely stepped up their game in the shoes department. As a self-acclaimed shoe-addict, I definitely have noticed an improvement. In both style and quality. Unfortunately I am still pretty broke, I can't wait until I start my new jobs. For the meantime, they will sit patiently on my shopping list.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 

Which of these is your favorite? I wouldn't mind having all of them in my heels collection. 

MAKEUP MONDAY : American Apparel Neon Green Swatch

Yes, I know it is no longer monday. Don't kill me. I just moved into my new apartment, and we are currently lacking internet. This is the first time I got to sit on campus and work on my blog.

Well, here is another American Apparel Neon nail polish, this time in neon green. I think I prefer yellow, just because it is a little more quintessential neon. However, I think the green applies slightly better than the yellow. In this picture I applied 3-4 coats, I like it to be nice and thick. You could probably get away with 2-3.

Buy Here

By the way, this was taken with my new apartment view in the background. We are steps away from the campus, and the place is massive. It's a win, win. 

RECAP

YOUTUBE : So this has been a good week for me for YouTube finds. I seriously can't believe I never watched either of them before. So first, Kinglsey. I know what you are thinking, how have I never watched Kingsley before? NO IDEA. Well that is in my past now, one of my new favorites.



On another note, I also completely ship Tinglsey (he and Tyler Oakley). How fucking cute are they? I mean seriously.



Also, Anna Akana. She is funny, cute, and has a ridiculous Blackmilk collection. Jealous, hardcore. I found her from the Blackmilk facebook page, and I obsessively watched all of her videos.



MUSIC : Little Mix! I know that I have heard Wings before, but I never really listened to it before. Now that I have, damn, they are fabulous. I love their new song How Ya Doin'? Missy Elliott is in it too (#mymilkshakebringsalltheboystotheyard).



MOVIE : So this is an oldie, but I watched She's All That by accident, and I got pretty engrossed in the story. It's worth a watch if you are looking for some entertainment on a Saturday afternoon. Something that doesn't involve spending all of your money...

FOOD : Okay, this is a weird one. Panda Express forgot to give me sweet and sour sauce for my veggie spring rolls (#unacceptable), and my dad suggested I use the raspberry habanero sauce we had in the fridge. It was so delicious. I may buy some and store it in my fridge just for my occasional Panda run.

INSPIRED : Emily Fields

So I decided to continue the Pretty Little Liars series, and next up is Emily. She is definitely the most casual out of the four of them. She has gone from being very sporty and casual, to being a little more edgy in the recent season.

1. Graphic tees. Emily definitely wears tees a lot, plain and graphic tees. They fit very seamlessly into her casual style. So if you are trying to emulate Emily's look, start collecting your t shirts.

2. Skinny jeans. Generally blue, black, or grey, but occasionally she throws in a dark color to spice it up. Emily wears a lot of jeans, and whenever I see her sporting a skirt I am surprised.

3. Jackets. Emily loves her jackets. Leather, in all different colors, cargo jackets, and leather vests. Make sure you have a variety of outerwear, it adds a lot of character to an otherwise simple outfit.

4. Combat boots. Most of the time she wears some sort of combat boot, I generally see her rocking a brown variation.

5. Converse. When Emily isn't wearing combat boots, she is wearing some sort of sneakers. I definitely prefer her converse that she wears quite frequently.

6. Flannel shirt. Along with her other outwear, she sports a flannel shirt as a sort of makeshift jacket.

7. Scarves. This is a classic Emily accessory, for someone that doesn't wear a lot of accessories, scarves add a lot of character, with minimal effort.

8. Minimal jewelry. Speaking of minimal, she does wear some jewelry, but it is very simple, delicate, minimal jewelry. The sort of thing that you got as a kid, and never took off.

9. Pastel nail polish. I did this for Aria as well, so I thought I'd throw in the types of nail polish she generally prefers, and that is pastels. It isn't the types of colors I would pin for Emily, but it is her usual look.

Flannel | Leather Vest | Combat Boots | Scarf | Skinny Jeans | Cargo Jacket | Converse | Graphic Tee

Should I do Spencer or Hanna next?

BLOGGERS LOVE : Zara Skort

I was on the fence about this piece. I don't know about you, but when I hear "skort", I flash back to my childhood wearing less than attractive jersey skirts with the built in shorts underneath. It's like spandex but, only one piece required. So I went on, set that I wasn't going to get the Zara skort, and now I am lusting after it. Luckily I found an inspired piece on eBay for less than $6! I may get more than one color!  

   

   

   

     

   

SHOESDAY TUESDAY : Balenciaga Cutout Ankle Boot

So this is a little silly, since the Balenciaga boots are no longer available. However, the inspired Jeffrey Campbell's are. So jump on them while they are still on sale at Solestruck.

Balenciaga | Jeffrey Campbell

These are basically the perfect summer boot. For someone that likes wearing ankle boots year-round, this is a great stay-cool option. The Coltrane's come in a bunch of different colors/metals, but I personally favor the all-black option.

MAKEUP MONDAY : Lime Crime Lipstick

Lime Crime has gotten a lot of hate over the past few years because of some big scandal in the makeup industry. From what I gather the company was repackaging other brand's products, but I don't really keep up on the makeup politics. If you are interested, just google it. I do know, however, that they have some pretty, unique lipstick colors. Also really cute packaging. Resembles MAC tubes, but with holographic unicorns.

Airborne Unicorn, D'Lilac, Great Pink Planet, Countessa Fluorescent, Centrifuchsia, Retrofuturist, Glamour101

Any of these strike your fancy? Honestly, all of these appeal to me, but who can afford that? I will just go for the more original shades. If you want some really crazy colors, they have blue, yellow, and black, but that isn't something I will ever wear. Maybe if you cosplay or something? Halloween? Well, they retail for $15.99, slightly more expensive than MAC, but from what I understand they are very similar quality.

RECAP

Thing's I've Been Loving:

Twitter! I never was really into it, and lately I have been all about tweeting (and retweeting). So follow me @brynnarachelle.

DC! I am one week away from going back to American U, and I am bursting with excitement. I miss the freedom and the busyness, and I can't wait to be back with my beloved Metro system. You'd never think that my favorite part about the city is the Metro. For the record, I also love the NYC subway system, I just prefer the DC Metro.

YOUTUBE: No specific channel has stuck out to me this week, but I did discover the whatever channel. Their social experiment comparing a girl and a guy asking strangers to have sex with them, is very interesting. Definitely check it out, you may be surprised.

MUSIC: This isn't a new song, but I heard it at the beginning of Identity Theft, and it sparked a desire to re-discover the song.


TELEVISION: I am really loving Pretty Little Liars, hence the Aria post.

*SPOILERS ALERT*
I am so confused about Mona turning herself into the police, my mom thinks she isn't going to be believable so that Hanna can't use the same story. I think she is trying to get Hanna's mom out of jail, and is going to plead insanity. Guess we will see next week!
Also can we just talk about how fabulous Aria's comic book dress was? Seriously. Can anyone tell me where I can buy one? The print, the shoulders, the mesh. It is so perfect.

FOOD: Crispy M&M's! They are my all time favorite candy, and are discontinued in the US. I don't know why they'd do that to us loyal fans. However, my friends recently went to Japan and Germany (separately) and brought me back some! They know me too well. For those who have never had crispy M&Ms they are very similar to the pretzel variety, without the saltiness.

TOP PICKS : Comic Book Fashion

Who ever thought that comic books would be cool? Well, maybe not reading them, but wearing them is! The comic book trend is all over right now, and it has been building for a couple months. Kate Spade put out a collection at the beginning of summer, which is sadly no longer available, but now the lower-end stores are carrying it!

Superman Converse | Forever 21 Backpack | Forever 21 Crop Top | Nastygal Skirt

Romwe Leggings | Romwe Leggings | Jeffrey Campbell Shazam | Nastygal Sweater

In addition to the pieces that I collected, Forever 21 has an entire collection out right now, including a lot of really cool jewelry pieces. These earrings are a great way to have a little taste of the comic book trend. 

Also, be sure to look at your local thrift stores. I found a great Batman t-shirt that I cut up and wear all the time! No need to spend a lot on the comic book trend!