#OOTD: Pretty, Proper, Quaint (Feat. Make Me Chic + Rocksbox)

February 24, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Personal Style

Unfortunately, once again it has gotten a little chilly here in the 'Burgh. Now, don't get me wrong, it is at least in the 50's and feels a lot like fall weather (which I love) so I can't really complain, but mother nature has really been teasing us with those random 70 degree days. However, I was a quite happy not only because we were having weather comparable to my favorite season, but also because I finally got the chance to style my latest dress from Make Me Chic for cooler weather!

Complementary Contrast

As I hinted in my last outfit of the day featuring this dress, I really love this garment's versatility, and as we all know, one thing my wardrobe is full of is versatile clothing. But, the reason this dress is such a great option to have in your closet is because as you can see in my last post, this piece works great not only on its own, but also works wonderfully as a layering piece.

So to style this dress for colder weather, I decided to take some style advice from my fellow Style Guru at CollegeFashionista, as well as fellow blogger Natalie, of Fractured Aesthetic. Her advise? Simply throw a black turtleneck under it! Which I have to say made for quite the chic look paired with jeans and my gold Princetown slippers. (Which I shamelessly wear as shoes because they're so comfy--and adorable!) The reason this look worked so well for me, is because I love the simple contrast as well as the depth the turtleneck gives this dress due to its split sleeves. I also liked the look the dress had when paired with my light wash skinnies, giving it a tinge of the Olsen twin's style, which I am absolutely crazy about.

To add the finishing touches to this casual, layered look, I chose to pair it with some gorgeous jewelry which I received in my latest set from my sponsor Rocksbox. The first item in the set are these adorable ear climbers by, SHASHI. Though this style of earring isn't something I would normally wear, I really liked these ear climbers because of their modern look. And even though these gems are not your typical statement earrings, they definitely have gotten me many compliments and I am totally considering giving them a permanent home in my jewelry box.

The next item in my set is this gorgeous Palm Cili Collar by Jenny Bird. I actually styled a necklace late last year similar to this one, however ended up returning it because it was much to heavy to wear for more than an hour or so. However, this collar is basically that last necklace's little sibling and looks just as gorgeous on and isn't heavy at all! This Palm Cili Collar is honestly great for everyday wear and has actually become one of my most styled pieces since I received it.

Love my ring set as much as I do and want to know more about them? Feel free to check out my post about my affiliate Ritani to get all the details.

The last piece in my set is actually this gorgeous Talitha Bracelet also by, Jenny Bird. This bracelet has been on my wish list forever due to the fact I love its chic and pretty, bohemian charm. The reason I chose to style this bracelet with this laid back look, is because I liked the slight edge that it brought to the outfit, but also because I felt it matched the SHASHI ear climbers and Palm Cili Collar perfectly, giving my accessories a completely cohesive look.

One Last Look

What are some of your favorite ways to dress up a spring/summer outfit for colder weather? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Have a great layering combo that you just need to show off? Feel free to tag me in a post or on your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic. Later, babes!

Xx, Bree

P.S. Psssssst! If you love the jewelry I featured in this post as much as I do, you can try Rocksbox for a whole month 100% FREE when you sign up using my promo code "starkravingchicxoxo". Don't know what Rocksbox is or how it works? You can learn more here!

Also, In case you haven't heard, I am now a proud member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!

#OOTD: Too Cool To Mention (Feat. SheIn)

February 23, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Personal Style

As I've mentioned in many of my recent posts, there are tons of trends that I am just in love with for spring 2017. And one of those many trends that I have been obsessed with this season is see through garments. Though I am generally not one to wear overly revealing clothing, netted bomber jackets are something I can totally get behind, especially since athleisure style clothing has been slowly but surely creeping it's way into my wardrobe all season long, and has most definitely became one of my favorite trends to rock. So needless to say when I found out I was going to have yet the opportunity to style yet another athlesiure outfit from my wonderful sponsor SheIn, I was absolutely thrilled! And with that being said, over the weekend, and after a ton of street style inspiration pinning via Pinterest, I decided to head downtown, enjoy the weather, and style some of my awesome new duds.

Let's Mention Our Unmentionables

Like I stated earlier, I generally don't wear revealing clothing and tend to style more classic looks. However, this past Sunday the weather was absolutely gorgeous out, (Yes I am in fact going to cry when it drops back to 40 degrees and starts snowing this weekend.) and I had a handful of errands to run downtown, so I decided my new netted bomber jacket, peekaboo sports bra, and distressed boyfriend jeans from SheIn would the perfect choice for the day.

The reason I love this netted bomber jacket is because of its sporty yet chic vibe. (Then again, that's what athleisure is all about right?) However, though I chose to style it with this peekaboo sports bra that came with it, I could also see styling this jacket with a light sweater or cute tank top for an equally chic look. I also liked the little bit of vintage vibe that this jacket gives off, due to the varsity stripes on its collar, cuffs, and on the bottom. I also really like the peekaboo sports bra that came with the jacket because even though it is a simple piece, it is very comfy and cute, and I just loved the cut out detailing. (Also note, even though I received these pieces complimentary, if you were to purchase this piece, the cute bra comes with it!)

For the bottom half of this look, I also received these cute distressed, cropped, boyfriend jeans to pair with the jacket and bra. And due to these jeans distressed look, to further style them, I decided to pair them with a cute pair of patterned stockings, just to add some more depth to this outfit. The first thing I have to say about these jeans though, is that they are very soft and very comfortable. The only thing that I would have to note is that these jeans are cropped and do not need to be rolled up like traditional boyfriend style jeans. So, for my readers who are taller than me (5'8" and up) I would say to go up a size, just to be sure that these jeans are not too short on you.

Love the ring stack? You can learn more about it as well as my diamond ring from my affiliate, Ritani, here!

Lastly, to add the finishing touches on this look, I chose to pair this outfit with some simple accessories including my Ray-Bans, my "return to Tiffany" heart choker, my python trapeze bag, and my gold sneakers that I got from John for Christmas. The reason I chose these accessories is because they are all very laid back and comfortable for running errands, and because I did not want my outfit to look too busy due to the netted bomber jacket. I also chose the gold sneakers because I felt that they would be a fun way to add a pop of color to this ensemble.

One Last Look

So how are you feeling about the see through trend this season? Love it or hate it, I'd love to chat with you about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Have a photo you just need to show off of your own fabulous street style look? Feel free to tag me in a post or on your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic. Later, babes!

Xx, Bree

P.S. In case you haven't heard, I am now a proud member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!

Marvelous Makeup (Feat. Makeup by Bailey Waterbury)

February 19, 2017 by Bree Fesh in Interviews

If you know me, you know that I know nothing about makeup. Sure, sure, I know enough to keep myself from going out in public looking like Mimi from The Drew Carey Show, but other than some simple techniques, I am by no means a makeup artist. However, that is not the issue for my friend Bailey, in fact she has been working as both a freelance and retail makeup artist since 2015, and let me tell you, this girl knows her stuff. Recently, I was fortunate enough to not only sit down with Bailey and interview her about her craft for this collaboration, but also had the opportunity for her to style my makeup look for the latter half of this post!

Bailey Waterbury: Makeup Artist

So by now, you're all probably wondering how I know Bailey. Is she a makeup artist I met at one of the runway shows I've attended? A stylist for one of my many photo shoots? Well, not exactly anything that glamorous, Bailey and I actually met in our freshman year of college at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Both her and I were there studying photography, and though we initially got off to a rocky start, by our junior year we became friends and began working on a handful of photography projects together. The one thing I always noticed about Bailey in her photography work was her precision and he attention to detail, which also shows in her makeup artistry. So needless to say, I was thrilled that when I reached out to her she was more than happy to do yet another collaboration with me, and as always, I was absolutely amazed by her work.

Bree Fesh: To start off this interview, when did you begin practicing makeup artistry?

Bailey Waterbury: Well, I was always very interested in makeup, especially being a photographer and wanting to work in runway or editorial fashion. So, I'd have to say that I began practicing and experimenting with makeup my sophomore year of college. And in 2014 I became completely immersed in the makeup artistry world when I began working as a cashier at Sephora, and then went on to become a makeup artist in 2015.

BF: I know you were living in Arizona for a while back in 2015, did you continue working as a makeup artist for Sephora while you were there? If so, which part, and was working as a makeup artist in a more heavily populated area much different than working here in Pittsburgh?

BW: Yes! I continued working as a makeup artist for Sephora while I was living in Arizona, and I was in the Scottsdale location. I have to say that it was quite a bit different just because Scottsdale is such a travel destination so you are constantly meeting new clients and trying different things, I must say I did like that challenge though. Personally, though I love the Sephora I am working at here in South Hills Village, I feel as though I am not being pushed enough. I really love trying new looks and techniques and unfortunately here, it seems many people just like simpler, classic makeup.

BF: Since I know you also have great photography skills, I'm curious to know if photography is still your greatest passion, or has makeup artistry surpassed it?

BW: Originally, I wanted my photography and makeup artistry to go hand in hand so I could both style and photograph my models, however as I grew more skilled with makeup, I began to really fall in love with being a makeup artist. So though I still love photography, and honestly wish I could do more with it than I have been lately, I do think that it is safe to say makeup artistry is my main passion.

BF: Recently you've started your own makeup artistry Instagram page titled "bayyylien", what are your goals with it, and do you ever see yourself expanding outside of Instagram and potentially starting a blog of your own?

BW: The reason I started my page, bayyylien, is because I really wanted my art to stand on its own, opposed to constantly posting selfies to my personal Instagram *laughs*. However what I would like to achieve through bayyylien is to grow, and work with other artists. The types of people I would like to connect with are those who are either interested in conceptual art or even couture fashion. As for starting a blog i haven't even thought about that yet! I could see some potential in doing so, however before I decide on it, I would like to grown my Instagram's following first as well as start a YouTube channel that features makeup tutorials.

Plum Seduction

As I mentioned earlier (and as you can see above), Bailey was kind enough to actually do my makeup on top of letting me interview her for this collaboration! However, you're probably wondering how exactly we decided on these colors, so let me give you a little run down before I dive in to the complete look and outfit.

First of all, I have to be honest, not knowing anything about makeup and being an artist myself, I gave Bailey full reign of this makeup look. To plan it though, Bailey had asked me to simply pick out an outfit that I would like to model, give her the color scheme, and she'd work from there. So the night before our meeting I simply sent her some quick snapshots of my outfit so she could get her pallet ready, and needless to say she couldn't have done a better job at pairing!

For starters, I just have to say that Bailey's clients are in for an absolute treat when working with her. Bailey isn't only incredibly talented, but she is also highly personable and fun to work with as well! Before starting the process, Bailey made sure I was comfortable and walked me through the steps as she was doing them. She also has the patience of a saint and gave (much needed on my part) direction well as to what she needed me to do. So for this look, Bailey chose to style me using the following products:

Skin Care:

Color:

Lastly, about the outfit I chose to style for this collaboration. For this post I decided it would only make sense to style clothing from two Pittsburgh boutiques since I was working with a Pittsburgh based makeup artist, so I chose to style this sweater from ModCloth as well as this gorgeous skirt from Terry Jolo Brand. The reason I chose these pieces is because I like their cool winter look. The white sweater and purple skirt complement each other perfectly and create a nice contrast. To add the finishing touches to this look, I chose to pair these items with my Jenny Bird Flagstaff Earrings, my Hermes Pop H necklace layered with this Kendra Scott pendant, black tights, and a pair of high heeled booties, making this look casual yet sophisticated.

One Last Look

What are some of your favorite makeup looks? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Have a marvelous makeup look of your own that you'd love to show off? Feel free to tag me in a post or on your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic.

Also remember, if you want to see more of Bailey's awesome skills, be to follow her Instagram account @bayyylien! Later, dolls.

Xx, Bree

P.S. Pssssst! If you love the jewelry I styled in this post as much as I do, you can try Rocksbox for a whole month 100% FREE when you sign up using my promo code "starkravingchicxoxo". Don't know what Rocksbox is or how it works? You can read all about it, here!

Also, in case you haven't heard, I am now a proud member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!