Scarlet O' Connor + Clare Bowen tutorial & look book

I am having serious Nashville withdrawals! If you payed any attention to my whole post on what Nashville is all about you'd probably understand. But if there is one thing I'm missing is the fashion! You can't help but love each characters individual style but oh yes I have a favorite! I cannot get enough of Clare Bowen's character Scarlett. And can we just talk about Clare Bowen and how awesome she is? Both Clare and her character are so effortlessly beautiful & natural! If there is something I admire it is exactly both of those qualities that really inspire me.

This is a little tutorial/ look book I decided to make

A lot of what you see me wearing is all vintage/ thrifted. However you can see that I have kind of named each look. Heres a little list of what I'm wearing.

Makeup

Keep it simple & keep it shiny! Clare & Scarlett have a natural look with a little shimmer to get by! Add lots a high lighter! ;)

I picked up some eye shadow Maybelline color tattoo - Pomegranante Punk

I also picked up some false eye lashes to give a longer doll like eye for those I stuck with Eyelure - Naturalites

Hair

Lose natural curls & add some braids to give some extra Clare

I also picked up some headbands which Clare wears a lot of 

Mine were from Claire's and Wet Seal

Threads

Looking For A Place To Shine: 

Thermal - thrifted & altered into a crop top

Skirt - Forever 21

Boots - vintage

Socks - Wet Seal

Fade Into You:

Blouse, Skirt, Headband - Wet Seal

Belt - thrifted

Boots - vintage

If I Didn't Know Better:

Dress - thrifted

Boots - Target

Belt - Forever 21

Black Roses:

Cardigan - RVCA

Top - Forever 21

Skirt - thrifted

Boots: Target

Lately:

Dress - Forever 21

Sweater - Aeropostale

Headband - Claire's

Everytime I Fall In Love:

Dress - H&M

Jacket - thrifted

Boots - Target

I also created these looks to inspire & show you where you can better find some items I think Scarlett or Clare would wear

March Haul

I am very unpractical in how I shop, or maybe you would say I'm practical? When I shop so many questions have to be answered! Therefore I will usually take forever in a store. I am that person who will hold on to something with a weird look on their face also known as 'The Thinker'. Typically I ask myself these three questions.

1. Cost?  Is it reasonably priced?
2. Can I wear this all the time? I don't shop seasonally. I like to buy things I can always wear.
3. What does this go with? Whatever it is it has to go with other things I own otherwise I won't get a lot of use out of it.

So I treat myself every once and a while and get a few things. This past month there were so many great sales going on I got quite a few things so I thought I would share.

I just filmed a short haul video showing what I got. Most of everything is recently bought, except the items from the thrift store so you may be able to find some of these things still.

How do you shop? Are you weird like me?

Hxx

Nashville

If you know me then its no secret how much I love the ABC series Nashville. I first started watching with curiosity & love for Hayden Panettiere. I have never been into country music but the story line drew me in. I'm a sucker for music anything, what can I say?

Almost immediately within the first episode did I fall in love with the music on the show. I have always had an appreciation for blues music, and I've always loved music with just heart full and beautiful lyrics that crap just touches me and makes me feel like such a girl when it does. I would definitely not say this for everyone but if you give this show a chance you might not fall into a country coma but you will with the songs on the show. AND if you like country music and do not watch the show already, I don't know what the hell else to tell you other than catch up! The show is near ending its second season currently and the music just gets better.

And if you are a true music lover, meaning you can appreciate and love every thing about music you would be pleased to know where the music comes from. Some of the music from the show is original pieces from actual artists, then covered by the talented cast of Nashville.
Within the show there is a lot of music industry drama, romance, romance, heartbreak, and then some more romance. A huge amount of the music on the show is all about love, pain, finding someone, and losing someone.

I enjoy most of the music on the show and I thought I would just share a short playlist of my favorites. Linbelow! And if you like ballads, folk music, and love songs you might like these too.
Links below!

If you like the show let me know. And what do you think about shows like this? I sure wish there were more. Hello MTV!

Black Roses - Clare Bowen

Ho Hey - Lennon & Maisy Stella

Shine - Sam Palladio

Twist of Barbwire - Jonathan Jackson

For Your Glory - Hayden Panettiere

Fade Into You - Clare Bowen & Sam Palladio 

A Life That's Good - Lennon & Maisy Stella

Waitin' - Clare Bowen

The new year

Good bye to 2013.

It is now 2014.

I write this blog now in the new year. 

This is going to be great. 

A lot of people of course do the whole I'm going to lose weight and be healthy crap. And me, I'm just here thinking how can I try to be a better person. What can I do for my life & this world.

If you had to ask me if I thought I was a good person I would say yes. And though I have issues with perfection I think they come in handy because I am always trying to challenge myself further to do better, be better, and etc. So being that I think I'm a pretty good person I still think how can I improve? What things can I change so I can improve myself?

Losing weight and being healthy is great, it really is I'm a strong believer that our own bodies are truly important. But it's just not my main priority as I venture into this new year and even just in general to focus on something of that nature. I'm just not into the typical new years resolution thing. I just feel like so many people think so much about being fit and healthy, what about being a better person for yourself? And yeah I am a vegetarian, I exercise often, and I consider myself some what healthy but the purpose of my life doesn't have anything to do with my pant size or how I eat.

Instead I want to focus on being a good person because I think that if I can live in this world and have some sort of positive effect maybe along the way I will pass by some people who will be inspired to do the same. Thats what I want to put out into this world.

Skiping ahead..
New years day I decided five resolutions.
These are personal goals & things I would like to change for myself to be a happier person. To spread more positivity into my life for myself and into the world for others.

1. DOING & FINISHING
There are tons of things I want to do or try and sometimes I start something and for some reason I end up telling myself 'I don't have time for this' or 'I should be doing this instead'. So my resolution is to just do what I want & once I do it, finish it. I need to make time to do things I want to do.

2. VIDEOS
I realized I like making videos & editing is really fun to me. It's a great outlet for me. And though I don't have many views or any at all I don't really care I just know I enjoy making them for me & sometimes my friends. I plan on getting a nice camera and making some videos I'll have fun making!

3. VEGANIZE

Mid June will mark one year of me being a vegetarian. I'm proud of myself for sticking with it 200%. In 2015 I want to become a vegan. So slowly this year I would like to transition into the vegan world. Changing the way you eat is not hard but it is a life change. When I do something big I have to follow through with it  and stick with it (Like when I decided to finally become a vegetarian). My goal is to transition and make small changes so that by next year I can be comfortable with fully becoming a vegan.

4. DE-PERFECTIONIZING

I am a very big perfectionist. With that  being said I am extremely hard on myself and it is a personal issue. I want to love myself more so overall I can let go of being so hard on myself and not worry or fixate on things being perfect.

5. COMPLAIN LESS

I am forever grateful for what I have in my life. But there are times I'm like shut up why am I complaining? Or other people complain & its such a turn off. I want to complain less and better appreciate what I have instead. Ignoring the small things because there are bigger things that are better and matter more.

Yeah, I worked New Years Day

bye 2013

"Never Look Back"

Don't worry about the past year and what you didn't do.

Focus on you and what you want this year.

What are your resolutions?

Hx

Post Cyber Monday

If you don't know Cyber Monday is the online version of Black Friday. And Black friday is a the day after thanksgiving in USA where there are tons of sales & "deals".

This year I was pretty underwhelmed when I woke up Monday morning.

First of all, the sales that I found on the sites I usually frequent ( Forever 21, Nastygal, Urban Outfitters, PacSun, Asos) weren't that appealing to me. I mean theres always some sort of coupon online you can find or an email I get from the website that will give me a discount..
SECOND, I didn't see too much that I liked.

SO I took it as a sign that it was not time for me to spend all my money in one day.. Instead I was thinking well I will just save up for a great holiday & NYE outfit.

Anyways I did get end up getting a few things.
Ok so when I spend my money I like to think smart. I live in Southern California and its pretty much warmer than cold here so I don't go crazy in the winter buying nice sweaters and such. I just don't think its worth it. Instead I like to buy things that I can wear with anything, any time of the year, to work, or on my days off. Thats just how I think when I spend on clothes. I like to try and be smart about my purchases.

I was thinking oh I'm going to be finding a lot and I could do a haul or something, but no. I did not. So when I say I got a few things, I mean it. I shopped two sites and thats all. I mean looking through all my favorite sites I was just not finding anything that was jumping out of my computer screen saying "HEY YOU NEED ME ON YOUR BODY", and it was disappointing since I was ready to spend and save doing it. And I found things I liked but not enough to buy and I didn't want to waste my money and just spend to spend.

So here are the few things I did get. I might do a show and tell thing who knows.
BUT I am happy  the things that I did get I was happy with the savings I had made.


I got one thing from NastyGal

I had been eyeing this top for a while & on Cyber Monday it's the first thing I went to see.

I was glad to see it hadn't sold out because a lot of the time things on NG ALWAYS sell quickly.

And this is something I can wear all year any time. I was thinking I can wear it with a high waisted skirt or shorts like pictured also could wear it with my fav high waisted jeans. And I have tons of leather jackets I can throw over as well as sweaters.

It was originally $32 and with the 30% off it came down to $22. Not an amazing deal like I said, but hey its a $10 saving and I'll take that.

From Forever 21 I got

This skirt was love at first site. I originally saw a black gray and white ombre skirt at NastyGal and it sold out! After I found this and I had a feeling that if I waited it would go on sale & if it didn't it would be a sign the skirt and I were not meant to be.

Once upon a time I believe it was about $17 and then it was on sale for $11 and change 

with the 50% off of sale items I paid $5.99 

I saw this skirt for the first time yesterday. I was really interested by the style. I like really weird or different skirts they're just so cool to me. This came in gray and black AND I really wanted the black because black is my color but unfortunately you couldn't see the cool draping and layers in the black so I went with gray. And this item scared me a little I have a feeling its one of those items you know that isn't going to look as nice in person but we'll just have to wait and see!

I paid $4.99 for this with the 50% off of clearance sale

On top of the clearance sale F21 was having flash deals on a whole bunch of items. This sweater was one of them. I love black and white and when I saw that the stripes were a metallic blend I got really excited. I also read in the reviews its more slouchy and long then pictured and that got me more excited. I plan on wearing this sweater with a pair of metallic blend nylons that match the stripes perfectly and maybe add some moto boots and knee high socks with it.

I paid $8.00 for the sweater.

Last but not least, leopard jeans. I used to wear leopard all the damn time & it was like my favorite color. I must have got tired of wearing it because lately I have been missing leopard. I saw these when they were $22 or maybe $24 I'm not sure and I thought eeeh do I want these and I decided I'd wait to try them on in person and I never got around to doing it. SO when I saw that these were still around I was just like oh goodness just give them to me. And I wear so much black and white I could wear these babies with anything.

I paid $7.99 for the leopard jeans with the extra 50%

So all in all I didn't get much but I'm glad I didn't get things that I didn't need or really want instead. Im excited to get these in the mail to see what they really look like!

Should I do a video or review on the items once they get here?

LovexH

Cali fall part two

So it is November and if you live in California you know for a freakin fact our fall weather here is weird! And yeah we don't get to fully take advantage of dressing fallish like. You could go ahead and force it and wear a scarf or coat like some do but it is just too hot still.

One thing I do like to do is take advantage of wearing my favorite colors which are black and white which technically are not eve colors right? Any ways I usually try to match in some sort of color when I wear black or white or both and this kimono does the trick usually.

I love this kimono! It was an investment, know what I'm $ayin'?! BUT It goes with everything. And when I am inve$ting in a piece of clothing I take into consideration many a thangz.. Like, can I wear this year round? How many things of mine can I wear this with? What colors can I match with this?
And basically I found an answer to all those questions so I splurged a little and bought it for myself for my birthday.

The brand of the kimono is See You Monday, I bought it on the Karmaloop website
My crop tee is from Forever 21
My pants are vintage spandex leggings that my rock n roller father used to own in his hair metal days
Shoes are from Charlotte Russe I think? I could not remember ha ha.
AND my high 5 to my best friend Michelle for taking these pictures of me.
If you'd like to watch a mini OOTD video I have one on my Youtube channel.

Comment if you're from So. California. What the heck are you wearing these days?

LovexH

Comeback Story

Many of us have our own demons. I know I do, and I have kept them hidden. I am a very private person, and I try my best to be independent and strong. Drama overwhelms me and I regret coming off as over dramatic. Expressing myself is never easy and its rare. Luckily, I  do have someone I can talk to but the burden of the harsh and honest truth about my demons and someone knowing them terrifies me and the whole truth is never told.

All my life I have had many insecurities of so many sorts. I focus so hard and try my best to make sure that the people that I care for in my life never have this issue because I want the best for them. But it's been a struggle when I am hypocritically preaching any type of positivity etc. when even though I want the best for someone else I have no right when I can hardly say I do so for myself.

Being open in any form about my insecurities is not easy and in no way am I even sure if posting this on my blog is ok with myself. But I'm trying to change and this is my blog. This is something I am doing for me and I understand it and that is what is important to me. Posting this while continuing to leave this posted will be a test for myself. 

It is ok to practice strength by admitting weakness.

No one knows what the future holds but I am in control. I am young but I'm getting older and I want to do so much in this world but there are things I need to do so I can move on to better things.

I want to make a difference in the world, create, and help people. 

I am thankful that in everything I am someone who sees what could be and accepts the challenge of change. 

I have no idea if anyone reads my blog but if you read this and you are feeling alone in the challenges you face, if you let it it's going to be ok.

I believe that our lives are like gold. Every moment we live is a fleck, a glittering little piece of life that shines in this great big universe. We are all important.

No matter what happens we have each other and we have our dreams.