#OOTD: Go Bananas! (Feat. SheIn + bareMinerals Compliments of Influenster)

Every year throughout the fall and winter seasons, my long time readers know there are a couple common themes: 

1. The fact that I absolutely love every single thing about the fall season, in particular the month of October (I'm a BIG Halloween fan and lover of all things spooky).

2. I usually run one or two giveaways depending on sponsorships and time constraints. (You can check out my current one HERE featuring my affiliate and sponsor JORD.) 

3. Since fall is my favorite season I tend to post more "#OOTD" posts during this season than any other due to all the fun fall activities I enjoy and dress for!

Well today's post is no different, except for one key component: Today along with my fabulous, new babydoll dress from my lovely sponsor SheIn, I am also thrilled to announce that I have also had the opportunity to pair up with Influenster and my affiliate bareMinerals and test out their newest product: BarePro, which is a long lasting, liquid foundation! So before I dive into my outfit and what I was up to over the weekend (if you follow me on Instagram you know after Sunday brunch with my mum I had a photo shoot!), let me tell you a little bit about the company bareMinerals, Influenster, and of course my review on their product!

A Bit About bareMinerals

If you have been reading my posts here on Stark Raving Chic for awhile, you know that bareMinerals is by far my absolute favorite makeup company. Though I have (and still do) use and work with other brands on occasion, most of my makeup case is predominantly bareMinerals products. But one quest I have never addressed is why I love this company and their products so much. Well, today I'm thrilled to finally have the chance to explain!

First and for most, you should know bareMinerals is a makeup company based out of San Francisco that has been in business for over 35 years. This company is 100% dedicated to producing all natural makeup in order to make you, and your skin, look and feel your best. I personally started using their products back in eighth grade due to having easily irritated skin, and it just so happened that bareMinerals makeup was the only makeup that did not cause me to break out at that time. Another thing you should know about bareMinerals is along with being a 100% natural makeup line, they are also 100% cruelty free, meaning none of their products are tested on animals and their products are not sold in China.  Now that you have the important info on the company, let's talk about the product I received compliments of my sponsor Influenster.

As I stated earlier, the bareMinerals product I received complimentary from Influenster is bareMinerals newest liquid foundation, BarePro. The product itself comes packaged very nicely in a glass bottle and contains a little more than three ounces of foundation, which of course is a hefty amount of liquid foundation! I also felt that the foundation was easy to use and apply to my brushes. 

Lastly, I have to say that I have absolutely fallen in love with this foundation. The first reason why is the shade I received, Aspen 04, is spot on with my own complexion, which most of the time it is hard for me to find a product that isn't a little too light or a little too dark. I also have to say that BarePro blends so incredibly easily and seamlessly with my other bareMinerals products and provides excellent coverage, all while giving me a desired natural look. The foundation is also light making it comfortable for all day wear and also lives up to its name of being a "performance" foundation because it really does last all day! 

Candy Shopping

So after applying my awesome bareMinerals BarePro foundation and the rest of my makeup, I was off to run some errands and shop for one of my favorite October traditions: Trick R' Treat. Though I don't have much of a sweet tooth myself, I have always enjoyed handing out candy to the little ghouls and goblins in my neighborhood on the night of Trick R' Treat. And every year I do my candy shopping locally in Sewickley, because village candy seriously has one of the best selections for Halloween! 

Though this adorable babydoll dress from SheIn has a bit more of a summer flare, I chose to style it for my errands this weekend because it was fun, casual, and cool-- as in it kept me from sweltering in the not so fall like weather we had on Saturday. The dress itself though is made of a light cotton material, though I would describe it having a feel more similar to linen, and runs true to size (for reference, mine is a small, and due to the cut and nature of the dress you want it to be loose fitting). I also just love the banana pattern and button detailing on this dress because they each give this piece a fun and playful feel. As always, like all of my clothes from SheIn, this dress is also made incredibly well and is very comfortable. Like I said earlier, it's perfect for a warm day and will keep you looking chic while keeping you cool! The only thing I would caution my readers about is if you want to purchase this dress, you will need a slip to go underneath it because it is a tiny bit see through. 

Love the watch that I styled in this post? If so, be sure to enter my JORD giveaway by October 15, 2017! You can get all the deets here! 

Lastly, to style this cute little number, I chose to keep it simple and pair it with some white Kendra Scott earrings, my newest wooden watch by my sponsor and affiliate JORD, and my plain white and gold Tommy Hilfiger sandals. The reason I chose to pair this playful dress with such simple accessories is because I did not want to take away from its fun pattern and whimsical nature. 

One Last Look

How have you been styling during our very unseasonably warm weather? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me about it at @StarkRavingChic. Have a playful outfit you'd just love to show off? I'd love to see it so feel free to tag me in your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic! Later babes, hope you're enjoying the warm weather! 

Xx, Bree

P.S. In case you missed it: if you love the JORD watch I styled in this post, be sure to enter my giveaway by October 15th, 2017 for a chance to win one of your very own plus a $25 e-gift code just for entering! Gets all the details here, in my JORD Fall Campaign + Giveaway post!

P.P.S.

Psssssst! 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 learn more here!

Also, 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: Flares For Fall (Feat. JORD + Ann Taylor + Rocksbox)

Ahhh, crisp air in the mornings, leaves crunching under foot, and pumpkins galore! Fall has officially begun here in Pittsburgh and I have been enjoying every minute it of it-- well every minute that I have free too enjoy it anyways, since I recently have been buried in college text books while studying for my midterms. However, I was thrilled that this morning I was able to break away from my studies for a little bit until this afternoon, and take a lovely morning stroll through Sewickley before meeting my mum for our weekly Sunday brunch.

Sunday Strolls

Since it has been rainy the past couple days here in the 'Burgh, I was happy to wake up this morning to see that the sun was shining and that it was an absolutely gorgeous fall day. So, though I probably could have used the the extra hour and a half to work a bit more on my studies, I decided to take a little breather and head to town a little earlier and take a nice autumn morning walk before meeting my mother for brunch, and I have to say, this outfit choice was the perfect combination of comfortable and chic.

For my stroll, as well as our mother, daughter Sunday outing, I chose to pair a simple white blouse from my affiliate, Ann Taylor, along with this adorable pair of flared jeans (which I was thrilled to have found at Marshall's, I've been looking for a good pair of flares for ages!) by American Eagle, and completed this look with some plain white and gold Tommy Hilfiger sandals. And though I know the fashion rule "no white after Labor Day", my long time readers know that I feel that this is a rule that is most definitely meant to be broken! 

The reason I say this is because a white blouse is such a kick-ass staple piece for fall, really I firmly believe (and have repeatedly said throughout the years) that every woman should have at least one in her fall wardrobe. "Why", you ask? Well firstly, because you can pair a white blouse with just about anything, whether it be with a cute fall skirt, dress slacks, layered with a sweater, or with jeans for a laid back look such as this one, there is just too much you can do with a white blouse to put it away for the season! Not to mention, there are ways you can dress up a basic white blouse to fit the season: For instance, as you can see in my outfit here, I chose to pair my blouse with some red drop earrings and a gorgeous red Kendra Scott necklace, which are perfect to reflect the colors of the season. 

Another way to spruce up this look for fall, was to coordinate fall colors into my makeup palette, which was very easy to do thanks to my sponsor Influenster. (Full post coming soon!) Who provided me with bareMinerals liquid foundation, the awesome Maybelline City Mini's palette "Rooftop Bronze", and Kat Von D's "Bow N Arrow, Fawn Nude" lip liner. All of these darker, earthy tones are an absolutely perfect fit for fall.

And last but not least, I just have to mention the final staple piece to this casual fall outfit: my Hyde series watch by my affiliate and sponsor JORD. Though I can gush about this timepiece for days, the main reason I would like to highlight it is because currently JORD and I are hosting a GIVEAWAY where you can have a chance to win any watch from their Hyde, Frankie, or Frankie 35 series! The contest ends next Sunday so you still have plenty of time to enter, but to read all the rules and entry guidelines you can check out that info HERE.

One Last Look

What are some of your favorite casual fall looks? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me about it at @StarkRavingChic! Have a cute fall look or JORD watch of your own that you just need to show off? I'd love to see it, so feel free to tag me in your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic. Later babes!

Xx, Bree

P.S. Psssssst! 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 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!

JORD Wood Watches: Fall Campaign + GIVEAWAY

Hello everyone, and happy fall! Firstly, let me apologize for my recent absence, after returning from my vacation down in New Orleans (which, due to time constraints, I am skipping a travel post about The Big Easy until next year when I return there for another vacation--though I did have a blast in my favorite place in the United States!), I immediately started my classes at Point Park University and I have just been getting back into the swing of student life! But now that I am back on a schedule, you will once again be hearing from me more frequently. 

So, as my long time readers know my absolute favorite season is officially upon us, even though it may not feel that way recently here in the 'Burgh. But with my favorite season here and in full swing, I was absolutely thrilled to get news from my long time sponsor and affiliate JORD Wood Watches, that we would be paring up again for yet another awesome collaboration! And if you've been following me since last year, you know that means that there is a giveaway involved for all my darling readers! So let's get to the info shall we?

JORD Wooden Watches

Before I get into the details about the campaign and giveaway, I'd first like to take a minute to tell you a bit about the company JORD in case you did not participate in the giveaway last year or if you are a new reader. I would also like to take another minute to showcase the second beautiful watch that their representative Emily sent me to review and keep free of charge! 

Firstly, JORD is a watch company based in St. Louis, Missouri specializing in luxury, handmade, wooden watches. Their watches are beautifully crafted and are made of the finest materials including a vast selection of different woods, several different skeletons, and lastly the faces of the JORD watches are made of sapphire glass, along with custom engraving services. JORD also has a year long warranty for any repairs that you may need and also offers repair services after a year. And lastly, though JORD is based here in the USA, they ship internationally so my international readers can get in on the goods too!

My JORD Watch: The Hyde Series

As I stated earlier, JORD representative Emily, was kind enough to reach out to me to collaborate with JORD for this campaign. And in order for me to fully participate, they once again sent me an absolutely gorgeous watch, only this time I chose one from their new Hyde Series! 

Photo compliments of JORD, Hyde Kosso & Gray

Much like last year, the first thing I noticed when I unboxed my JORD watch was not only was the watch itself beautiful, but the box that it came in was remarkably crafted as well! The watch box was quite heavy and had a beautiful JORD stamp on the top of it. The watch was clearly packed with extraordinary care and was securely placed in the box with an extra touch of packing foam to guarantee its safety while traveling. 

Then when I carefully began to inspect my newest timepiece, I was not surprised to find that the quality of this watch was impeccable, just like my Frankie from last years campaign. My new Hyde watch fit like a glove and has quickly become my favorite watch, simply because of its cool colors and sleek design, it goes with just about everything! And though I love my Frankie watch, the Hyde has a bit of a smaller face giving it a more feminine feel.  

Wanna see more of what I'm up too while I'm on the go? Be sure to follow me on Instagram at @StarkRavingChic!

The face of the watch is a gorgeous gun metal grey, which looks absolutely stunning against the kosso wood body and it gives this timepiece a very lovely contrast. I also love the electric blue accent the second hand gives this piece, though it is subtle, it just adds the perfect pop of color to this classic watch.

Though my next outfit of the day post featuring this gorgeous watch won't be live 'til later this week, I'll give you a hint and let you know that I styled my Hyde watch with a nice, classic back to school look. Though in that upcoming post, the details of the watch may be over looked so in this post, I've decided to include a few outtakes of the close up photos just so you can see for yourself how lovely the watch is. And of course as I'm sure my readers know, that when I fall in love with a piece it will most definitely be popping up in my #OOTD posts all campaign (and season!) long. 

Shopping Guide 

Considering this campaign is geared towards the back to school and fall shopping seasons, I thought that I would give you some tips on what kind of watches would be good for every person in your life. Also, it's a nice perk that JORD has so much variety, considering anyone can find something they like! And with that being said, especially with the giveaway JORD is hosting (the details are below I promise!), why bother going out during the back to school and pre-holiday mayhem, when you can just shop from the comfort of your own bed at home? 

Women's Watches  

The three watches below are my top picks out of JORD's women's watches this fall. The reason I chose these three specifically are because I thought they were the most unique and each are perfectly geared towards three main styles I feel the the typical female student purchasing them would fit into and those are: bold, innovative, and classic.

Photos compliments of JORD, Cora Koa & Rose Gold, Reece Golden Camphor & Khaki, Frankie 35 Zebrawood & Champange

Bold Femininity:

The Cora model is prefect for the shamelessly feminine woman in your life. This traditional feminine design with the added accents and rose coloring of the face and koa wood gives this piece the perfect balance of style and business. 

The Perfect Student:

This Reese timepiece is perfect for the girl who has always been fiercely dedicated to achieving her goals. This piece has a very innovative design along with a gorgeous pattern on its face. But it is also classically colored since you know the girl who's wearing most definitely means business.

Causal Chic: 

I'm sure we all know that one woman who is always as amazingly laid back as she is stylish, even under the pressure of midterms and finals. This Frankie 35 timepiece is definitely the watch for her considering though it is subtle, it is absolutely beautiful just like the girl who would be wearing it and also mirrors her laid back nature.

Men's Watches

Much like when choosing my top picks for the women's watches, my choices for men were also the most unique but still geared to the most popular style niches for shoppers. These in my opinion were the modern, the minimalist, and the professional.

Photos compliments of JORD, Dover Zebrawood & Dark Sandalwood, Hyde Stacked Sandalwood & Olive with Ivory, Conway Kosso & Midnight Blue

The Modern Man: 

This Dover Series watch is definitely a timepiece for the man who likes to make a statement. It's trendy, gorgeous, and incredibly modern. So it is perfect for the man who want's to stand out in a crowd. 

The Minimal Fashionisto: 

This Hyde watch is perfect for the guy with an understated but cool style. With it's stacked sandalwood body, ivory face, and gold accents this watch is sure to be quite the conversation piece.

The Strictly Business: 

This Conway timepiece is perfect for the man who is a polished professional. This watch is perfect for the professional man due to its classic style as well as its bold colors. It's the perfect blend of stylish and classic. 

GIVEAWAY

FINALLY the part of this post I am sure you have all been waiting for: THE GIVEAWAY INFORMATION! 

First, this giveaway starts today (Sunday, September 24, 2017) and is running through Sunday, October 15, 2017, so everybody has a little over three weeks to enter the giveaway. And just to be clear, the date's this giveaway is running are as follows:

Starts: Sunday, September 24, 2017

Ends: Sunday, October 15, 2017

Now that you have the dates, you should also know that JORD ships internationally so ALL of my readers can participate! So what will you get from this giveaway? Well, compliments of JORD everyone who enters will win a $25 e-gift code (this code is valid until 11/30/2017) after the contest has ended, and one lucky winner out of all the participating bloggers will win a $100 e-gift code (this code is valid until 11/30/2017) that they can use to shop from JORD. To sign up for this part of the giveaway, just click the photo below and it will take you to JORD's sign up page:

WAIT THERE IS MORE...

Now, though I will still be giving away a JORD watch, this part of the giveaway is strictly on me considering I always try and personally host a  giveaway for my readers because I love you all! This being said the reason I am pairing my personal giveaway with JORD's is simply because I was so impressed with my JORD watch that I thought my readers would love one too, so here is what I am awarding one lucky reader:

Since I adore both my Frankie and my Hyde series watches so much, I will send ONE lucky reader a Frankie Series (including the Frankie 35s!) or Hyde series watch of their choice. There are seven "Frankie" to choose from and you can find them HERE. And there are four "Frankie 35" to choose from which can be found HERE. And lastly there are three from the "Hyde" you can choose from which you can find HERE.

My giveaway will be running for the same dates as the JORD sponsored giveaway, and to enter this part of my  giveaway all you need to do is comment below with your name, email, and which Frankie Series watch or Hyde Series watch you would like to try and win. Then bright and early on October 15, 2017 after everyone has had a chance to enter, I will announce the winner in the comments and promptly email them to get the necessary information to place their order (e.g. Wrist size, which I will send you a PDF so you can take your measurement, and of course I will need your mailing address so I can send you your gift!) and ship their watch to them, which I will also be shipping internationally as well. 

Final Notes: 

To all of my readers, I would like to wish you all good luck and I can't wait to see who wins! Also, to those of you who also enter the JORD sponsored part of this giveaway (which you all should because they're a great company and you get $25 towards ANY watch of your choice plus the chance to win a $100 e-gift code!) I cannot wait to see what you purchase and how you style it!

And lastly, I just want to say THANK YOU to all my readers, from the long-timers who have been with me from the beginning to the newbies who might have only came here for this post. All of you though are wonderful and I would not have this success or be able to work with such great companies like JORD without you. So thank you so much for your support, and again good luck!!

Xx, Bree

Luxury Wooden Watch