#OOTD: Tantalizing In Tan (Feat. Fashion Mia + Kat Von D Beauty Compliments of Influenster)

Whew, what a weekend! Though I was sick all of last week with the flu, I was overjoyed that I finally began to feel better by Saturday and was absolutely thrilled to get back to work, though I must admit I'm not thrilled with the overwhelming amount of make-up homework I have to do after missing a week of school. But nonetheless, I am happy to be back to my normal, healthy self and to be out of the hospital, now lets keep our fingers crossed that I won't get sick again for a good long while!

Considering I was laid up in my house or the hospital all last week, needless to say by this weekend I was more than ready to get out of the house and actually spend time around other people. (Though Oliver and Lola are great company and expert snugglers, neither of them are conversationalists.) So, to celebrate my newly reclaimed health, I decided to get out and explore my own city for the day, and took to downtown Sewickley for a day of shopping at local boutiques and eating some delicious food. And of course after living in nothing but pajamas for a week, I was also more than ready to style an outfit, so I chose to wear this adorable, casual dress from my newest sponsor, FashionMia.

FashionMia: A Quick Overview

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As I stated above, FashionMia is a new sponsor that I began working with this year. So, much like any other time when I bring on a new sponsor and introduce their products to my readers, I like to give you all a quick rundown about the brand and their products. 

Firstly, FashionMia is an online clothing site that specializes in modern fashion trends and sells these hot items at irresistibly low prices. This is great because when shopping with FashionMia you'll be sure to get the cutest looks without breaking the bank. What's better than stylish and affordable clothing? 

Another thing that I love about FashionMia is that they have a huge variety of clothing to choose from. These options include but are not limited to, evening gowns, casual dresses, business attire, outerwear, and accessories. Another service that FashionMia offers that is unique from other online shops in this niche, is that FashionMia also has an entire section for men's wear, which is great for  all the fashionistos out there. Lastly, the only issue I see with this company is considering they are based in China, there is no possibility for rush delivery, so after ordering your products they may take two to three weeks to get to you, however after receiving my products compliments of them for this partnership, I promise you that it's well worth the wait. 

Black & Tan 

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To style for my day of shopping in the beautiful town of Sewickley, I decided that this adorable casual dress would be a perfect fit for the all day affair. The reason why I chose this dress to stroll around town is due to the fact it is super comfortable and great for all day wear. The other great thing about this dress is due to its long sleeves its actually very warm, and because of its casual nature, this dress is a great piece to layer with to add some extra warmth. Which, I did just that by pairing it with my fleece lined leggings. 

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Before I get into the complete review of this dress, if you follow me on Twitter and/or Instagram, and simply by looking over this post, I am sure you have noticed that I no longer have my signature blonde locks and have traded them in for something a little more natural! Though I am not a full blown red head like I am now, my natural hair color is actually more of a dirty, reddish blonde. So, to cut back on having to get my hair highlighted every month, I have opted to go red, which will make it way less noticeable when my roots inevitably grow in. And I have to say, I'm loving the cheaper price of getting my hair done now and just adore how great this color looks. I'm definitely looking forward to styling so many outfits with my new fiery 'do.  

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Now, let's get to the reason I'm sure most of you are here and that would be to hear about this fabulous dress from FashionMia. First I have to say that this dress is probably the most comfortable piece of clothing that I own right now. It is made of a thick, soft, polyester material which makes this piece hug your curves in all the right places. I also love the fact that this dress is versatile and can be paired with a variety of different accessories which allow it to be worn in multiple ways. The final two things I adore about this piece is that its drop waist adds a cool casual touch and that it also has pockets which is a major win for me! Lastly, this dress fits true to size and it is also very well made. It came in perfect condition and there is not a stitch out of place.

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To style this piece for my Saturday of shopping, I chose to pair it with some black fleece lined leggings to add some extra warmth, along with my favorite Micheal Kors boots. Aside from these pairings being practical for the weather conditions, they also double as a super stylish look. This is because the black of the boots and leggings add a great contrast to the tan dress, which makes this look visually pleasing. 

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To add to this contrast, I then chose to further accessorize this look with this gorgeous Faye bag by Chloe. The reason why I chose this purse is because aside from it staying within the black and tan theme, its gold accents complement the gold accents on my boots, which really ties this look together. I also just adore this purse for every day wear, the reason this is is because it adds a cool and relaxed look to any outfit due to its chic bohemian vibe. 

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The final touch I added to my casual weekend look is my frequently styled Kendra Scott Rayne pendant. As I've mentioned in countless past posts, this necklace is my go to for adding some shine to any outfit. This versatile necklace can dress up a simple blouse, or add a charmingly boho vibe to a basic outfit. In this case, this bold necklace adds a fun pop of color to my laid back Saturday look. 

Lovely “Lovecraft” 

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The last portion of this post I would like to talk about yet another campaign I am working on and that would be the Kat Von D Beauty campaign through Influenster, featuring the new Kat Von D, Creme Lipstick. I received this product complimentary to try through Influenster, for those of you who have never heard of Influenster, you can learn more here! The color I received from Kat Von D's new line though is called "Lovecraft". And aside from it being named after one of my favorite writers, I also absolutely adore the color! 

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As you can see, the color is a nice, matte, pink, which adds a cute and girly touch to this make up look. The lipstick is also very easy to apply an literally just glided on to my lips, which is something I am not used to with some of my other matte lippies. I also love this color because though it is light, the pigment is so lush and rich, surely making your pout stand out in a crowd. To accompany this lipstick, I paired it with my bareMinerals BarePro liquid foundation, Dior's Exalt eye shadow palette, and NARS Lovejoy Blush. The reason why I chose these colors is because I wanted to keep a fresh and natural look to keep true to this outfits casual vibe.

One Last Look

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What are some of your favorite casual weekend outfits? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Have a darling casual dress 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, 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: 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

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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.

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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. 

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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

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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! 

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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! 

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

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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!

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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!

Soufeel Jewelry: A Review

As you all know from past posts, I absolutely love jewelry. From my partnerships with Rocksbox and Boho Tribe Collection, to my beautiful collaboration with Ritani, I think it is safe to say I am all about things that sparkle. However, for those of you that has been reading my musings for sometime now (I'm talking clear back to the "Wish-list Wednesday" days.) I'm sure you can recall that my jewelry box was lacking in one department, and that was in bracelets. Sure, I have a few trusty cuffs that I can wear to more elaborate occasions, but I honestly did not have many, well really any, bracelets that I could wear for everyday life. That was up until now, at least, after John and I had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with my newest sponsor Soufeel!

Soufeel Jewelry

For those of you who have not heard of the online jewelry retailer, Soufeel, I'm just going to take a moment to tell you a little about the company and their products. To start off, Soufeel is a jewelry store that specializes in sterling silver jewelry ranging in products from necklaces, earrings, and bangles, but what Soufeel is most recognized for is their absolutely gorgeous charm bracelets. As i am sure many of you have noticed, Soufeel's bracelets look quite similar to the ever popular (but pricey) brand, Pandora, but that's what makes Soufeel so great is that you are getting the same quality jewelry (925 sterling silver) for about 2/3 of the cost, along with a year long, money back guarantee, warranty! And though Soufeel's bracelets are not exactly the same as Pandora's, they definitely hold their own against the jewelry giant, and in my opinion, their products are every bit as dazzling. 

Oh So Charming

As I mentioned earlier, I received the gorgeous charm bracelet above complimentary from Soufeel, however I also mentioned that John actually designed it. I'm sure many of you are wondering how we pulled that off, and simply put, we were able to because the Soufeel rep I have been working with, Walker, was kind enough to let me pass along the budget ($150) to John, so he could make me this gorgeous piece! And I have to say John did a fabulous job of capturing the little things that have to do with our relationship, and I can't wait to to add charms to this bracelet in the years to come. (And perhaps even adding an additional bracelet!)

Needless to say, aside from John being a good sport and helping me design this pretty piece, (Which worked out that it was just in time for my birthday that is coming up in a few days, pretty nifty timing right?) I am overjoyed with the quality and craftsmanship of Soufeel's jewelry. To kick off this review, I wanted to first talk about the bracelet itself. The first thing I want to say about the bracelet is, is that the latch is very sturdy--so sturdy that at first I wasn't quite sure how to unlatch it due to the fact I never owned a charm bracelet before! However, once I got used to its design (which is admittedly tricky at first) I now can take it on and off with ease as well as not having to worry about it coming unhooked and my charms falling everywhere! The other thing I loved about this bracelet, is its rose gold latch. Though I would have been happy with a plain silver one, I just feel that the rose gold adds a nice contrast to the bracelet over all.

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Like I said earlier, I personally feel that Soufeel's jewelry is very comparable to Pandora's (and for my readers who already have Pandora sets or beads, the Soufeel charms and bracelets are compatible with Pandora too!), but for a fraction of the cost, so basically with Soufeel, you are getting more bang for your buck! But, I know many people feel things like this are too good to be true, and just to show that in this case it is not, I just wanted to show you that each of Soufeel's charms (as well as their other jewelry) are 100% sterling silver, and are each stamped with Soufeel's logo along with the sterling silver seal "S 925".

Wooh! Now that I've gotten all of the formal information out of the way, I'm sure you want to see the charms that John picked out for my bracelet!

The first charm on my bracelet, is this adorable little "heartbeat charm". The reason why I love this charm is due to its subtle detailing and its quaint design. I also love the color of this charm, due to its monochromatic reds, which gives the charm a nice contrast.

Next is this "locked heart charm". The first thing that I noticed about this sweet little charm is its excellent craftsmanship. As you can see, though this charm is dainty, it is incredibly detailed and crafted with outstanding precision.

My next bead is this "red lantern charm". The reason I love this charm is because it adds a whimsical flare to my bracelet, and it also reminds me not to sweat the small stuff, and as my long time readers know, John is forever my voice of reason when it comes to panicking over minute things.

Next, is this adorable "vintage camera charm". As I'm sure many of you know from my "portfolio" section on here, not only am I a writer, but I am also a photographer, and that is something that John loves about me. So, it only seemed natural to add this bead to the bunch! This is the bead that I was actually the most pleased with, and that is because of this design's attention to detail. I loved that this charm included all the little knobs found on a film camera (shutter, aperture, the release button, even the film winder!), and that is important to me because photography was after all my first love within the arts.

Last but not least, is this "infinite love bead". Though this bead isn't as showy as the others, it holds a special place in my heart because it reminds me that even though the distance between John and I is testing at times, eventually it will all work out, and we will always have each other. The reason I liked this simple bead, is due to its light and feminine details, and rich ruby red color.

Final Thoughts

After my rave review, I'm sure many of you have already figured out that I will most definitely recommend doing business with Soufeel! I felt that the rep I spoke with, Walker, Was highly professional and easy to talk too, and obviously, I feel that my product is outstanding. 

Have you ever shopped with Soufeel and love their jewelry as much as I do? Let's chat about it in the comments below, or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Have a Soufeel piece that you would just love to show off? Feel free to snap a picture and tag me in a post of on you Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic. Later, dolls!

Xx, Bree