Christmas/Holiday Gift Ideas for Her

I can't believe it's already December! Where did this year go?!

Anyway, since it was Cyber Monday today I decided to do a little shopping, and then thought it would be fun to do a quick post giving you some ideas if you have no idea what to your best friend, sister, etc. And they are all under $50.

First off, Christmas is a really special time for me just because I love the holiday season, so I always try to get my friends something that I know they will really like, that is somewhat affordable, and practical. For me, the presents that I find kind of off are usually the ones I end up using the most throughout the following year so keep that in mind! 

Candles:

What girl doesn't love candles? I have been obsessing over candles the past few months and to be honest I am starting to grow a small collection. Candles are awesome because they are available practically anywhere, and even though it's a small gift, I can assure you that whenever they burn it they will think of you. And if you want throw in one of those big lighters! Unless you specifically know what scent they like, I would suggest sticking to me lighter scents like fruits and flowers just because it's more foolproof than getting like... A cookie scent or something. 

Naked Palettes:

These are a bit on the pricier side but not by much. The Flushed palette is around $30 and the Basics palette is $27. The Naked Flushed palette is amazing because the colors suit practically every skin type, so you wouldn't have to worry about getting the wrong shade of bronzer, blush, and highlighter. Same goes for the Naked Basics. You get 6 awesome, everyday, versatile shades. I love mine! And my friends come over all the time and use it. 

Mascara:

My best friend is a mascara fanatic. I always buy her a new tube for her birthday. Mascara can either be affordable or a bit of a splurge depending on your brand. Even though everyone's eyelashes are different and some formulas might not work for everyone, it's still way more fool proof than getting something else that is colorful. Plus, it's one of those things you'll use every single day so you know it will be going to good use.

Books:

My friend recently got into reading so for Christmas I purchased the Hunger Games boxed set. Now, books aren't for everyone, I admit, but if you have a book lover in your social circle definitely try and find out what they like! Lately I have been really getting into John Green and today I bought An Abundance of Katherines to complete my small collection. I've only read two so far (the other two I haven't read even though I own Paper Towns) and I recently just finished The Fault in Our Stars and that was a pretty damn good book, just saying. I enjoyed it a lot more than Looking for Alaska (which was still good but I prefer the other one). 

Rollerballs:

Ok, perfume can be quite tricky especially with the whole 'match your natural body scent' thing as well as the fact that they might not even like the scent. But find out a perfume that they have been secretly lemming but are just too lazy to buy and get a roller version! It's portable and usually under $25. The matching scented lotion is around the same price too but honestly, I would say get the rollerball because they're bound to use it more. 

Succulents:

Ok, this one is a bit strange but I have purchased so many succulents over the past few months and I love them all! Sadly, they keep dying and I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but they are so cute, fairly cheap (they start at around $2.50) and are just a simple plant that looks really cute on a desk. I have a medium sized one next to my computer. They don't require much water, and you can find them a lot of places. You can even get a cute vase. 

Pajamas:

I didn't include a photo, but I love getting pajama's for Christmas! I usually buy myself a pair every year. You can get really cute and cheap ones from Forever21 and even though you might just get your friend a pair of pajama shorts, you can really package it nicely with tissue paper or something and make it really special. 

~

Obviously there are a million things you can get your loved ones, but these are only a few ideas. Definitely try and find out something that they want but won't get for themselves! Whether it's because it's just one of those things your lazy to buy, or you keep putting it off for one reason or another. Last year my friend Val kept on whining about how she needed a new makeup bag because her's was destroyed, but she still never got one. For Christmas I gave her a really pretty floral one and she uses it daily. Sometimes it's just the little things that make us most happy! 

In other news, I'm sorry I haven't been posting much! I went to Kona for Thanksgiving so I was really busy. 

Hope you all had a successful Cyber Monday! Did you get anything good? I mainly just ordered from Urban Outfitters and bought some books on Amazon... Along with a new pair of jeans and two pairs of shorts but that was yesterday so I suppose that doesn't count. 

xoxo,

                                          

                   Kelly

Collection | Isabel Marant pour H&M

Isabel Marant, a lovely french designer, just teamed up with H&M to release her very own collection.

Everything is absolutely gorgeous. It has this easy-going boho vibe going on that looks so breezy and fun. It's really refreshing seeing how comfy and relaxed every piece looks, especially when structured clothing and tight fits are all the rage at the moment. 

The menswear is gorgeous as well. 

Here are some of my favorite looks as well as some pieces that I personally love. 

Particularly loving the ikat-esque trousers! I absolutely love that print, along with the lace dresses and easy knits! 

What are your thoughts on the collection? Yay or nay?

To view the entire collection, click here.

xoxo,

                                          

                   Kelly

Hey Monday

Feeling groggy and tired today thanks to the horrible sleep I got last night. My allergies are acting up as well and for some reason my voice is super deep making me sound like a male teenager going through puberty. Ew. Perfect way to start off the week. Thank God there isn't any school though, otherwise my day would have just gotten 100% worse.

Since today is pretty chill, and the weather finally cleared up (major storm the past three days) I can finally wear some shorts again. 

Shirt: Brandy Melville | Cardigan: Pull & Bear | Shorts: Forever21 | Purse: Brandy Melville | Rings: Pacsun | Nails: Bettina Indigo + Essie Shine of the Times

Ignore eclectic room... Nothing much on my agenda except for stopping by the grocery store to go and buy some food, and then I have a tennis lesson later in the afternoon.

What about you?

xoxo,

                                          

                   Kelly

Fall Trends: Tartan!

Tartan prints is a HUGE trend right now. I wasn't exactly head over heels for it, at least not until I saw Danielle Bernstein from WeWoreWhat sport a tartan pantsuit. I'm still not crazy about it but I really love seeing how people style it, especially Danielle! She always looks great.

Although I probably wouldn't wear it myself, I made a few sets just as inspiration if I did happen to pick up a piece. 

I'm not really sure if the first skirt is considered tartan, but I have been seeing it around and really wanted to use it in a set.

As for the second outfit, I think a printed scarf is the perfect way to ease into the trend without spending too much money. I know it looks a bit funky but I thought the red was a really nice contrast against  the denim button up that was thrown over a white tee. I think the leather leggings just give it kind of an edgy look which I really appreciate. 

For the last one... I think it was Danielle Peazer who I saw rock a plaid like shapeless dress for some award. I thought it looked really cute and comfy so when I found this one from Boohoo, I knew I wanted to use it. 

What are your thoughts about this trend? How would you style it?

xoxo,

                                          

                   Kelly

Staples

There are a lot of items on my current wish list, however the ones I am most lemming happen to be the most basic pieces of clothing. 

The set above showcases the basic staples that my closet is in dire need of. 

I have plenty of white shirts but for some reason I find myself searching for a loose, but slightly cropped, plain white tee. Paramore performed at the 2013 Radio 1 Big Weekend, and their front woman Hayley Williams (whom I admire very much) rocked this tee shirt, pairing it was some nice fitted, high waisted two toned shorts. One half being a plaid/tartan-esque print and the other half being studs upon leather. I don't know why I liked her top so much... But since then I have been on the lookout for something similar. 

I feel like the only person who doesn't have a pair of denim high waisted shorts. I love the pairs TopShop has to offer but whenever I am near one I never seem to have the time to stop and look through them. I think the white loose cropped shirt would look great tucked into a pair of high waisted shorts, and I think would give a similar effect to the outfit Hayley had on. 

Chelsea boots are a recent discovery (and love) of mine. I had heard about them but for some reason I thought they were a different kind of boot so I never was really interested until I was browsing the H&M website and found these babies. My best friend has also recently invested in a pair of tan suede ankle boots and I think they look really nice, so I guess that is what sort of got me looking around for a pair that would suite me. 

Rings are a guilty pleasure of mine, and wherever I go (if I'm traveling) I always have to get some, both for me and my (previously mentioned) best friend. I don't really have the taste for giant "in your face rings", I prefer simple ones so I have a growing collection of various gold and silver rings with simplistic silhouettes. 

I'm a relatively small person so I don't really do big purses. The current one I am using is a fringe one from Brandy Melville which somehow goes with almost everything I wear, but I'm ready for a change and am looking for an upgrade to something with less... Fringe. Haha. 

I know fall is coming, and I shouldn't be wanting shorts, but I live in Hawaii and the seasons barely change so shorts are pretty much wearable all year round.

Do you have anything on your current wish list? 

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments, and for following if you have. Be sure to check me out on Bloglovin too! 

xoxo,

                                          

                   Kelly

Autumn 2013 Must Haves: Makeup Edition!

Happy Sunday, everyone! 

As a follow up for THIS post, I decided to do one dedicated to beauty products I am loving for this upcoming season. 

Colors:

Like everyone else, I absolutely love burgundy's, which is why I included a few different versions. Red's are also a must have for me and I am planning on stopping by my local Walmart to grab a few more lovely red shades. The last color I am obsessed with, oddly enough, is orange. I have been the biggest Paramore fan for a while and I love Hayley's wild orange locks and lips, but it wasn't until I browsed the items at my local MAC counter that I tried on an orange lippy (that I can't remember the name of) and instead of smearing it on, I slowly built up the color by dabbing it (which is what I usually do for lip products, excluding balms). I fell in love with the bright color, but because of my dabbing, it wasn't all that stark and it really was just a lovely wash of color. 

Cosmetics Bag:

Pull & Bear is one of my most favorite brands, so of course I had to pop inside when I was passing one in a monstrous mall somewhere in Jakarta. While I was at the checkout, I caught sight of this cute makeup bag that had the Union Jack symbol on it. It was really annoyingly high above my head though, so I couldn't reach it, and I didn't have time to look for an employee to go and grab it to me. I was delighted when I found it on Polyvore and just had to include it in my set.

Makeup bags to some people are "unnecessary" but I think that they are a must. For me, it's one of those simple things in life that makes me smile whenever I take it out. I own multiple for different occasions, but the one I find myself gravitating more towards is my one by Coach. It's a lovely size, satin finish but plastic insides, and has watercolor prints on the outside. 

For affordable ones, Forever21 has the cutest. Last year I bought one for my friend for Christmas, and she loves it. 

Cheeks:

Weather is getting colder, and sometimes the cold makes powder cake up which is why I love investing in cream blushes... I have a few from TopShop that I absolutely love. I included the orange just because orange is sort of the color I am in love with at the moment, and I thought a little hint of orange on the cheeks would make your face just look really fresh and perky.

Benetint is a highly raved about and popular product from Benefit and can also be used on your lips. I haven't actually gotten to trying this myself, but it looks absolutely lovely on other's.

Other colors I recommend trying on to see if it suits you are dusty rose shades along with plum and mauve.

The Naked Flushed palette is a major lemming of mine. Urban Decay is one of my favorite makeup brands, and when this came out I thought it was so convenient because it is a three-in-one. The shade of the blush is also a lovely fall color. The palette is overall pretty warm which is why it's perfect for this season.

Eyes:
 I usually leave my eyes bare, but the past few weeks I have been experimenting with gel liner to create little wings which looks really chic and cute. Gel liner comes in all different kinds of shades so I am excited to maybe try a plum color or something... Just to switch things up.

The Naked Basics palette is my most favorite palette ever because it offers a lot of buildable matte shades (except one of them has fine, iridescent sparkles). This palette can obviously be used all year round (which is what I do), but I included it because it's a makeup staple everyone should have.

For a little sparkle to perk up those eyelids, L'oreal offers affordable color pigments that are ridiculously pretty. I can't remember the name of the one I own, but it looks lovely on all skin tones.

I didn't include mascara just because that doesn't really have anything to do with the seasons, but just for good measure, I have been loving They're Real by Benefit.
Lips:
Lips are my favorite part of this season! I personally prefer darker colors (even in the Summer), but now that it's Autumn I can go crazy!

Because I have eczema (ew), and I use to have it on my lips, I can't stand the feeling of something wet, just because it starts to irritate my lips... I just can't explain it... Ew. Because of that, I prefer dry lip products, like matte lipsticks, lip stains, and lip crayons. Further more, because I hate the feeling of anything on my lips, I tend to dab rather than apply. Dabbing gives off a really natural look that I think looks lovely, especially with lip products of a matte finish.

TopShop lip crayons are my favorite lip products, and I am really loving the shade 'Suspect' which is what I included above.

Like I said earlier, I have been loving the look of orange and hope to purchase the color I saw at my MAC counter.

Red's are a must have as well, and Rimmel has a Kate Moss Collection that has gorgeous colors to choose from, and I have heard so many great things.

I think bold, warm lip colors with an overall bare face (minus your face makeup) looks lovely, but if your wanting a change, definitely try a peach lip. I adore my Maybelline Peach Kiss Babylip Lip Balm. I own a lot of Baby Lip products and I love them all... It's one of the few 'wet' sensations I don't mind.

Lastly is lip balm. I have a small and growing collection of the EOS lip balms not only because they do wonders for my lips, but don't feel extremely wet like other balms, the smell is heavenly, and the packaging is so cute.

Face:
Autumn can be drying for your skin, which is why finding one that doesn't dry out your face even more is important. I don't use foundation or any face products besides my Cetaphil Moisturizer and my Sonia Kashuk concealer, but I heard the YSL Touché Éclat Foundation works wonders, and isn't drying at all.

My friends are all about BB cream, and even though I own one, I never use it. 

Halloween is the one day I deck myself out in makeup, so I decided to give it a go. I have extremely dry skin so after I put on my Naked Skin BB cream by Urban Decay, I was nervous when I realized that I forgot to put on moisturizer, however I was fine the entire night and that made me really happy! Definitely go check it out! 

~

Anyway, those are the products that I am loving, will be using, or will be on the lookout for this Autumn! 

If you have any questions concerning the products I use, feel free to ask! 

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

                                          

                   Kelly

Fall Trends: Structured Handbags

Despite the fact that I don't own one myself, I absolutely love the look of structured handbags. They look sophisticated, practical, and timeless.

I made three sets using an affordable version of the classic Givenchy handbag... The one I included was from H&M.

It's honestly so versatile and adds maturity and class to any outfit. This trend is a major win for me, and I'm hoping to snag one sooner or later. 

And just for fun, here is a master post of various brands and their take on this purse. 

Mulberry,  H&M, TopShop, DKNY, Givenchy, Tory Burch, ASOS, Zara, Pull & Bear

Are you loving this trend as much as I am?

 xoxo,

                                          

                   Kelly

Spicing Up My Fall Wardrobe

I love that fall is all about the darker and deeper colors, and especially love the monochrome theme, however, it's always nice (and good for the soul) to add splashes of color here and there, but since it's fall and everything is supposed to be 'warm and cozy', it can be a bit difficult to figure out how to add in something bright.

The easiest way to do this is by using a fun purse. I love seeing the way brights pop against colors like black and white (which makes up most of my wardrobe). It's a win-win situation because not only do I finally get to put the purses I bought despite them being an obnoxious color to use, but I actually think colored purses are a really fun way to jazz things up without being overpowering. 

For an even more autumn feel, I would suggest colors with warmer tones like the berry color above, or maybe a mustard or something.

During the fall, a lot of people tend to wear black (including me), but black on black on black on (you guessed it) black can be a wee bit boring, which is why this is the perfect time to try different textures! Pleather pants or leggings, suede shoes, cotton shirt, etc. Each fabric reflects light a different way, and obviously has a different texture, transforming your all black ensemble into something really interesting to look at, all while tricking the eye into thinking your not wearing only black. 

Last but not least, this last trick is the one I use the most. Since the weather is getting colder, meaning you spend your days lounging and walking around in cozy jumpers, most of the time the only thing showing will be your hands, so I would suggest on getting your finger tips painted. 

There are so many colors to choose from, and since your finger nails are (usually) tiny, no one can tell you 'oh that's not a fall color' because honestly everything looks great. For me personally, I love painting my nails and looking at the color because it's just a refreshing sight... Especially if they are all nicely groomed. 

There are so many lacquers to choose from, along with finishes! Cremes are my usual go-to finish, but warm duo-chromes (topshop polish above) are super fun, and even matte textures. 

What is your favorite way to spice up your fall wardrobe?

 xoxo,

                                          

                   Kelly

Fall is Coming...

Thanks to the brief rainstorm that hit a couple weeks ago, I was finally able to take one of my knit sweaters out of hibernation.

Sadly, the weather wasn't cold enough to actually put on some pants so I opted for this lace printed body con skirt which I thought was really ghetto and hoochie looking when I saw it in the store, but my friends insisted I try it on and I ended up liking it enough to buy it. 

Sweater: Forever21 | Skirt: JW (Ghetto Local Boutique thing) | Bandeau: JW | Necklace: Claire's

Since these were taken, I have cut my hair a lot shorter, and as I look back on these, I am kind of missing my longer locks.... Oh well. 

   xoxo,

                                             Kelly

Welcome!

Hello, everyone! 

Welcome to my blank canvas which I hope to slowly fill up in the days and months yet to come! 

I'm not sure if anyone will actually find my blog, let alone read it, but either way I hope for this to become a project I can reflect on when I'm older and wanting to look back on things that I had been interested in.

It's more of a personal project if anything, seeing as how I have found myself in love with anything having to do with clothes, makeup, and basically anything else that holds a special place in my heart, I just want to have a place where I can write down every thing that I am thinking, or feeling, or just loving. 

So for starters, hi, I'm Kelly, an extremely socially awkward 15 year old living on a rock in the pacific ocean... Also known as Hawaii. 

As luxurious as that sounds, it's actually not because everyone here basically wears ill fitting jeans and slippers 10x too big for them, and the select few who don't basically just wear bikini's or something that shows midriff. 

Because of my island's small population, not many companies tend to branch out here (except for my neighboring island, Oahu, which has everything you can imagine), so I just scrape up what I can find and try to find a balance between looking decent, and living in Hawaii... I know you can sort of "do whatever you want cause it's a free country" but over here if you wear something too fashionable... Well, first off it's not very practical and second, you get weird stares and you just feel out of place. So, in the meantime, I am trying to find a happy medium until I get get off this rock and into the real world. 

My dad has his own clothing shop (it's not really anything I would wear though), but we travel a lot because of it, so I get to go to all sorts of places which have phenomenal shops and for the most part I buy a lot of my things outside of America. 

As of right now my favorite shop is Pull & Bear, and of course TopShop, but I tend to have more makeup from there than actual clothing items. 

  I'm not sure how you describe my "style"... Not sure if I have any... I just sort of wear what I like, but I personally love the grunge look and the boho look. For the most part I live in denim and muscle tee shirts but I'm constantly looking for ways to break out of my comfort zone and try new things and see if anything looks decent on me. 

  As for my favorite style savvy people, I really enjoy Lily Collins, Eleanor Calder, Danielle Bernstein, and a small community of tumblr bloggers (Siena, Alexa, and Grace) who were the gals that inspired this whole blogging idea. 

  Apart from attempting to blog about my outfits, I will also include makeup posts, amongst other things to keep my blog interesting.

Not sure where this little project will go, but hopefully you'll stay long enough to find out.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this... Have a lovely day!