Very Hollywood

    

    

     I have two collections that contain some of my most prized possessions...a collection of Shakespeare's plays that I add to nearly every time I go to a book sale and an ever-growing collection of perfume. Every Christmas I get a new fragrance. Last year I got the Satin fragrance from Victoria's Secret, which I love as my all-around, soft-smelling perfume. The year before that, I got Love Rocks from Valentino, which I save for special occasions. And three years ago, I got Pleasures from Estée Lauder, which is my fresh-feeling perfume that keeps me relaxed. In addition to those, I have numerous body sprays and mini-perfumes from Victoria's Secret, a mini bottle of Coach's Legacy, and a couple random fragrances. Needless to say, I sort of like perfume!

(photo credit: sephora.com)

     This Christmas, I got a perfume I've been wanting to try for a long time. I must admit, when it comes to perfume, I usually judge it by its bottle...and when I first saw an advertisement for Very Hollywood by Michael Kors in one of my magazines, I was immediately drawn to it's glimmering, pink, shiny bottle! I couldn't help wanting to know what was inside this gorgeously designed glass that looked good enough for a 1950s movie star! Then, I imagined how cute it would look with all my other perfumes sitting on my vanity. On Sephora you can get a 1.7oz. bottle of the fragrance, as well as a body lotion, all in a fabulous box for the same price of $65 for just the bottle of perfume. Plus, sephora.com always ships orders over $50 for free! Quite the bargain for all that yummy smelling goodness!

(photo credit: beautyfool.net)

     But now, for the most important aspect of the perfume--the smell itself! Commercially, it is described as a sparkling mandarin, gardenia, and vetiver scent "suited to a silver screen siren," but in all honesty, I've never been able to identify notes of certain fragrances or identify flower scents other than roses, lilacs, and violet. For me, it's the combination of everything that counts. At first, the scent reminds me of something my grandmother would wear (which isn't a bad thing because she has always worn very classy perfume), but as it warms up on my skin it lets out a younger, more playful aroma. It's not only girly and floral, but it also brings out a flirtier scent that I really like. Overall, this perfume gets my stamp of approval and I'm glad it gets to be a part of my collection!

     One more great thing about this perfume...it was made it the US! Imagine that--Americans still have jobs because of designer perfumes! This not only gives a little piece of mind, but it also adds to Michael Kor's all-American style and authenticity of his label. If you don't have the money to buy designer clothing, buying your favorite designer's fragrance is the next best thing. There is nothing like the quality you get with handmade, designer clothing and perfume is no different. You don't need to break your bank account to feel a little luxurious every day...just a spritz of a great perfume will make you feel like a movie star!

Get an extra 20% off sale items on Sephora.com from now until January 1st.

Just enter the code EXTRA at checkout.

(I have no affilliation with any of the brands or companies I have mentioned in

this post and all the opinions and views I have expressed are purely mine.)

Love from Lulu's

    I am really happy to let you fabulous people know that I have an exclusive discount for my blog readers at one of my favorite online stores! Lulu's is offering a 15% discount from now until August 13th with the code OPENCLOSET. My favorite part of their store is definitely their dresses, so I thought I should make a list of a few of my favorites!

Chicks in the Kitchen Dress-$39

The little chickens on this dress give it a fun 70's vibe.

Don't Worry, Be Happy Dress (in black)-$38

Being a child of the scrunchies and mom-jeans

era, I love that 90's florals are so trendy.

French Toast Tuesday Dress-$38

This dress would look really cute with pastel pinks and

purples for perfecting a make-up color scheme.

Mother May I Dress-$29.50

This is one of those dresses that makes you feel just as light and airy as it looks on you

...just right for hot, hot days when you don't feel like wearing much of anything! 

On the Griddle Dress (in chocolate chip)-$40

A lovely little dress for a party...or summer barbecue.

Wherever you wear it, you're sure to look amazing!

Romantic Novel Dress-$35

The name totally fits! This number is just the dress

to wear on a romantic date!

Stained Glass Rose Dress-$38

I like how artsy this dress looks...if only I

had it when I visited my uncle's gallery!

Swallow Tail Shirt Dress-$45

I love t-shirt dresses...you can wear them with anything

and they're perfect for a casual weekend look.

Verona Velvet Dress-$25.50

I'm in love with the velvet trend for fall this year, so this is

a nice dress to transition from a summer wardrobe to an

autumn ensemble with a couple sweaters and some leggings.

(photo credits: lulus.com)

Singing in The Rain!

   I've decided that I would try to post more outfits throughout the week. It's hard to post often during the week because of school and then drama rehearsals until 5pm.

   So here's this week's first outfit! I wore it on Thursday last week when the stretch of rainy weather had just begun and lasted all through the weekend. I wasn't actually too bothered by the rain...normally I am, but for one reason or another I liked it for a change. It melted the rest of the snow on the ground and it was relaxing to listen to at night. All the rainy weather was a great opportunity to wear my new trench coat...yes, I finally got one (if anyone remembers, I posted last year about how much I wanted one)!!  I got it at H&M when I was in Boston.

The Make-up Trend

Every season, Karl Lagerfeld sweeps us away with the classic looks on Chanel runways, but this multi-label designer impressed everyone with his Fendi Spring 2010 Ready-to-Wear line. With pastels in every make-up color, laid-back up-do's, tulle, and embroidered granny handbags, there wasn't a bit of Karl's typical bad-girl look. So this season's new colors? Anything that matches your skin tone! Cute frocks and simple dresses in nudes and rosy pinks are the perfect attire to get the Fendi look, while adding a vintage bag and tied up platforms keep it laid-back and girly.

I absolutely love these shoes!!

A Girl Can Wear Pink While Skiing, Right?

Last weekend was my final couple days of vacation. I'd spent plenty of time vegging out in my robe and slippers all week, so it was time for me to embrace the snow outside. I went cross-country skiing with my dad and sisters, and never giving up a chance to come-up with a cute outfit, I started with the essentials then added girly, yet sporty, touches. My basis was black leggings and layers of shirts under a sporty, fitted jacket. I put on pink socks to keep my toes warm and a matching headband to keep the chill from my ears. I dashed around the house looking for a cute vest, but I couldn't find one that didn't clash until I remembered a hound’s-tooth one I bought last winter. It was thick enough, while the stylish black and white pattern made my look complete.

We had a lot of fun skiing through the woods behind my house and, although I haven't spent much time on skis, I started to really enjoy the sport. I'm not the most graceful skier, my older sister skied when she was younger and my eight year old sister has taken to it so quickly that at this rate she'll be in the Olympics in a few years! I, on the other hand, am the least poised and I tend to loose my balance easily. Let's just say by the time we were back home, I was covered in fluffy snow and had too many bruises to count. But that won't prevent me from getting back on those skiis! Hopefully we can go on another weekend escapade so I can better my skills and someday survive going downhill without falling on my back!

The Look For Less: Blake Lively

On June 15th Blake Lively attended the CFDA Fashion Awards in a hot pink Michael Kor's tube dress. Because the hot pink was so vibrant and attention getting, she didn't over do it. She left her hair loose and sleek, wore nude heels, and added jewelry sparingly. I also love the convenient pockets the dress had...they blended in with the rest of the dress, but were useful for a perfect casual pose. I searched all over the internet to find this whole look for much less than the dress alone.

• Black Clutch-Merona-$7.50 find at target.com
• Hoop Earring Set-Xhilaration-$9.99 find at target.com
• Mod Metal Ring-Forever 21-$3.80 find at forever21.com
• Nude Sandals-Rampage-$29.99 find at amazon.com
• Pink Tube Dress-Pinkice.com-$27.99 find at pinkice.com

Total Outfit Cost: $79.27
Blake's Dress: $1,595

Pink, White, and Blue

Tonight I went to watch the 4th of July fireworks in town. My outfit had to be something patriotic, but I didn't want to go with the usual red, white, and blue I do every year...so what's better than adding my own flair of pink? Just subtle touches of pink under my button-down and on my earrings and nails kept the girly hue in moderation. Nothing could go better with my outfit than my little striped ballet flats to finish off the look.